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New Concepts of parking in residential areas

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 2014•2015
SCHOOL FOR TRANSPORTATION SCIENCES
Master of Transportation Sciences

Master's thesis
New concepts for parking in residential areas

Supervisor :
Prof. dr. Gerhard WETS

Annum Khaliq
Thesis presented in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Transportation Sciences

Universiteit Hasselt | Campus Hasselt | Martelarenlaan 42 | BE-3500 Hasselt

Universiteit Hasselt | Campus Diepenbeek | Agoralaan Gebouw D | BE-3590 Diepenbeek
2014•2015
SCHOOL FOR TRANSPORTATION
SCIENCES
Master of Transportation Sciences

Master's thesis
New concepts for parking in residential areas

Supervisor :
Prof. dr. Gerhard WETS

Annum Khaliq
Thesis presented in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Transportation Sciences
 PREFACE
As parking issues are creating concerns for urban planners all over the world. Being an urban planner
and a transport scientist I was looking forward to search about new ideas for parking being used in
other countries, having special significance to residential areas. This is the reason I found this topic
very interesting for my Master thesis.
Commercial areas have already grabbed the attention of city planners and researchers to devise
policies and solutions to reduce the parking problems prevailing in the city center. These parking
issues are not just confined to the commercial areas but have progressed to residential areas as well.
Basically, residential areas are the points where vehicles are parked for longer durations so the
parking problems would definitely be more visible in such areas. Due to significant increase in car
ownership rates during last decades, the need to house the vehicles has also increased. A lot of
parking search traffic can be seen in areas with different land uses that is creating nuisance for overall
traffic flow. In case of residential areas people want their car to be in front of their doors that makes
the residential areas aesthetically look unpleasant and affects the livability and safety of the area. Also
the parking of cars in front of the resident’s house creates obstruction for other road users. All these
issues urge for new parking concepts to be introduced and implemented in residential areas. Many
developed countries in the world have introduced new concepts of parking to mitigate the parking
issues.
At University of Hasselt, the course of Masters in transportation sciences is very diverse. It covers
almost all dimensions of transportation planning and engineering. A transportation scientist should see
a transport related problem from every aspect and parking issues are a dilemma of automobile age. In
this piece of research, the residential parking issues and the drawbacks of conventional parking
techniques are highlighted and new concepts of parking used in developed countries are identified.
The applicability and acceptability of these identified concepts in the study area is measured using
observations and focus group. A focus group discussion with the concerned authority of the study area
revealed the views of parking experts regarding the benefits and feasibility of adopting the identified
concepts regarding the study area. This research aims to direct the policy makers while planning to
devise solutions of parking problems in residential area. It does not provide any directions for the
implementation of a certain parking concept in the study area. This study would be useful to find out
the importance of focus group while collecting data for qualitative research and to gain insights of
decision makers regarding the introduction of a new idea or program.
At the end, I would like to acknowledge my supervisors, experts from the municipality who have
participated in the focus group and my family, who have helped me to complete this research.
 Table of Contents
SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................ I
CHAPTER NO. 1 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………………… .…..1
1.1. Problem Statement ........................................................................................................................... 1
1.2. Objectives of the Study .................................................................................................................... 2
1.3. Scope of the Study ........................................................................................................................... 2
1.4. Justification of Research .................................................................................................................. 3
1.5. Research Questions .......................................................................................................................... 3
1.6. Methodology .................................................................................................................................... 3
1.7. Structure of Thesis ........................................................................................................................... 4
CHAPTER NO. 2 RESIDENTIAL PARKING OVERVIEW………………………………………………………….5
2.1. Parking in Residential Areas ............................................................................................................ 5
2.1.1. On-Street Parking...................................................................................................................... 6
2.1.2. Off-Street Parking ..................................................................................................................... 7
2.2. Draw backs of Conventional Parking Techniques ........................................................................... 7
2.2.1. Issues of Off-Street Parking ...................................................................................................... 7
2.2.2. Issues of On-Street Parking....................................................................................................... 8
2.3. Parking Problems in Residential Areas ............................................................................................ 9
2.3.1. Problems Associated to Parking Demand, Supply and Utilization ......................................... 10
2.3.2. Problems Associated to Resident’s Choice ............................................................................. 11
2.4. Parking Solutions ........................................................................................................................... 12
2.4.1 Discourage Car Ownership ...................................................................................................... 12
2.4.2. Optimize the Use of Existing Parking Space .......................................................................... 13
2.4.3. Create More Parking Space..................................................................................................... 14
2.5. The Future of Residential Parking ................................................................................................. 14
2.5.1. Pay per Use for Residential Parking ....................................................................................... 14
2.5.2. New Residential areas ............................................................................................................. 15
2.6. Innovative Ways of Parking Utilization ......................................................................................... 15
2.6.1. In-Lieu Parking Fees ............................................................................................................... 16
2.6.2. Shared Parking ........................................................................................................................ 16
2.6.3. Centralized Parking ................................................................................................................. 17
2.6.4. Parking Freezes ....................................................................................................................... 17
2.6.5. Demand Reduction .................................................................................................................. 17
2.6.6. Smart Parking.......................................................................................................................... 18
2.6.7. Private car parks .......................................................................................................................... 18
2.7. Innovation Parking Concepts ......................................................................................................... 19
2.7.1. Automated Parking Systems ................................................................................................... 19
 2.7.2. Semi-Automated Parking System ........................................................................................... 19
2.7.3. Working .................................................................................................................................. 20
2.7.4. History..................................................................................................................................... 20
2.8. Advantages of Automated Parking over Conventional Parking facilities...................................... 20
2.9. Case Studies ................................................................................................................................... 22
2.9.1. Automated Parking in Manhattan ........................................................................................... 22
2.9.2. Automated Parking in Munich ................................................................................................ 22
2.9.3. Automated Parking in Toronto ............................................................................................... 23
CHAPTER NO. 3 RESEARCH APPROCH……………………..………………………………………………………….25
3.1. Topic Selection .............................................................................................................................. 25
3.2. Problem Identification.................................................................................................................... 25
3.3. Literature Search ............................................................................................................................ 25
3.4. Defining Research Approach ......................................................................................................... 26
3.4.1. Identification of Study area ..................................................................................................... 26
3.4.2. Obtaining Maps & Performing Preliminary Survey of Area .................................................. 26
3.4.3. Setting up Observation Plan .................................................................................................... 26
3.4.4. Preparing Focus Group Questionnaire .................................................................................... 27
3.4.5. Conducting Focus Group ........................................................................................................ 27
3.4.6. Analysis & Conclusions .......................................................................................................... 27
3.5. Conclusions & Recommendations ................................................................................................. 27
CHAPTER NO. 4 AREA PROFILE & FOCUS GROUP……………………………………………………………...28
4.1. Profile of Study Area ..................................................................................................................... 28
4.2. Data Collection .............................................................................................................................. 29
4.2.1. Observation Plan ..................................................................................................................... 29
4.2.2. Focus Group ............................................................................................................................ 30
4.2.3. Advantages & Disadvantages of a Focus Group..................................................................... 31
CHAPTER NO. 5 ANALYSIS & FINDINGS……………..……………………………………………………………….32
5.1. Existing Condition of Parking in Study Area ................................................................................ 33
5.2. Findings from Observations ........................................................................................................... 33
5.3. Focus Group Session...................................................................................................................... 35
5.3.1. Focus Group Questionnaire Preparation ................................................................................. 35
5.3.2. Location & Time ..................................................................................................................... 35
5.3.3. Composition of Focus group ................................................................................................... 35
5.4. Analysis.......................................................................................................................................... 35
5.5. Findings from Focus Group ........................................................................................................... 36
CHAPTER NO. 6 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS……………………………………… ………....44
6.1. Conclusions ................................................................................................................................ 42
 6.2. Recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 44
References ............................................................................................................................................. 45
Annex I: Parking Problems and Financial Costs for Parking Facilities ............................................ 50
Annex II: Additional Information on Focus Group .......................................................................... 52
Annex III: Analysis Tables ............................................................................................................... 57
Annex IV: Observation Form, Maps, Focus Group Questionnaire & Presentation .......................... 61
List of Tables

Table 1: Construction Cost Comparisons between Conventional Ramp Garages and Automated Garages ......... 21
Table 2: Ranking of Concepts .............................................................................................................................. 41
Table 3: Different perspectives for viewing parking problems (Litman, 2006) ................................................... 50
Table 4: Typical Off-Street Parking Requirements (ITE, 1999)........................................................................... 50
Table 5: Typical Parking Construction Costs (PT, May 2000, p. 28) ................................................................... 51
Table 6: Typical Parking Facility Financial Costs ................................................................................................ 51
Table 7: Typical Parking Facility Financial Costs (Litman, 2006) ....................................................................... 51
Table 8: Analysis of Matrix .................................................................................................................................. 59
Table 9: Observation Table .................................................................................................................................. 61

List of Figures

Figure 1: Research Methodology............................................................................................................................ 3

Figure 2: Household car ownership and cars per hectare by degree of urbanization of the postal area................ 11
Figure 3: Amount of park in and out operations per month.................................................................................. 23
Figure 4: Research Approach ............................................................................................................................... 25
Figure 5: Data collection process ......................................................................................................................... 27
Figure 6: Map of Hasselt, Green part showing study area, Runkst. Source (Parking in Hasselt, 2014) ............... 29
Figure 7: Measuring Distance using Map window ............................................................................................... 34
Figure 8: Focus group characteristics ................................................................................................................... 52
Figure 9: Division of Hasselt for parking study by municipality.......................................................................... 73
Figure 10: Focus group presentation .................................................................................................................... 76

List of Photos

Photo 1: Shared Parking ....................................................................................................................................... 16

Photo 2: Centralized parking ................................................................................................................................ 17
Photo 3: Parking Freezes ...................................................................................................................................... 17
Photo 4: Demand Reduction by car pool .............................................................................................................. 17
Photo 5: Smart Parking (Source: Fastprk 2012, World sending SL) .................................................................... 18
Photo 6: Private Car parks (Source: Carambla parking website) .......................................................................... 19
Photo 7: Automated Parking System (Rothary, 2014). ......................................................................................... 19
Photo 8: Working of automated parking system (Woehr, 2014) .......................................................................... 20
Photo 9: Pigeon Hole Parking 1953...................................................................................................................... 20
Photo 10: Residential renovation typified by the building at 1500 Hudson Street ............................................... 22
Photo 11: Comparing before and after situations building automated parking facility (Woehr, 2014) ................ 23
Photo 12: Car parking system in Toronto (Source: Romax parking).................................................................... 24
Photo 13: Study area ............................................................................................................................................. 26
Photo 14: On-street Parking.................................................................................................................................. 30
Photo 15: Parking situation observed in Runkst ................................................................................................... 34
Photo 17: Parking Zones Hasselt (Source: Municipality Hasselt) ........................................................................ 77
Photo 18: Structure Plan Hasselt (Source: Municipality Hasselt) ........................................................................ 78

List of Graphs

Graph 1: Parking Problems faced by the residents in Runkst ............................................................................... 36

Graph 2: Characteristics of On-Street Parking in Runkst ..................................................................................... 37
Graph 3: Characteristics of Of-Street Parking Runkst .......................................................................................... 37
Graph 4: Ranking of Concepts ............................................................................................................................. 41
 I

SUMMARY
This report is about parking in residential areas. The purpose of writing this report is to have a
thorough insight on various parking concepts, systems and techniques used to regulate residential
parking. The prime focus was to study in detail the types of parking techniques and systems, when,
where and how these can be applied and to check the applicability and acceptance of these parking
techniques using the focus group. The study has identified the existing concepts used for parking in
residential areas. The issues and drawbacks of the conventional parking methods, solutions to various
parking problems and better ways to manage the existing parking methods have also been listed along
with their benefits. The study highlights the innovative concepts which are flourishing nowadays that
can be modified and applied to the study area (Runkst) as a solution to its parking issues. The cities
where these systems have been implemented successfully are also discussed. Moreover, the report
also discusses the significance of focus group in collecting data for qualitative research.
First chapter describes the problem statement, objectives, scope, justification, methodology of
research and structure of the report. Second chapter provides an overview of literature in the context
of residential parking. These include on-street and off-street parking, sub types of on-street and off-
street are also highlighted. Explaining these methods were necessary to have a clear view about the
residential parking techniques and reflect on the inconveniences these methods are bringing in the
overall urban environment. Parking regulations that are used by the local authorities to regulate
residential parking are also mentioned. The draw backs of conventional parking methods (on-street,
off-street), different perspectives of residential parking issues and their solutions described in the
scientific literature are also explained. Keeping in view the literature, some innovative parking
utilization techniques (in-lieu fees, shared parking, centralized parking, smart parking, demand
reduction, parking freezes, private car parks) and systems (automated, semi-automated parking
systems) are also discussed which are being adopted by most of the developed cities (Manhattan,
Munich & Toronto) to overcome parking related issues. The innovative parking systems and their
potential benefits over conventional parking are also highlighted along with their successful
implementation (case studies).
Third chapter describes the research methodology. It starts from topic selection, finding out
background information in order to identify the true nature of problem and to define the focus of
research regarding this problem. The literature studied, focused mainly on characteristics of
residential parking and the ways in which it is done, draw backs of conventional parking techniques,
better ways of parking utilization, innovative concepts of parking and their potential benefits over
conventional parking. Data collection process, analysis and conclusions are also discussed in detail.
Fourth chapter briefly discusses the profile of the study area and the methodology adopted for data
collection. The qualitative data collection method of focus group along with its advantages &
limitations are highlighted in this chapter.
Fifth chapter discusses the analysis & findings of observations and focus group session. This existing
condition of parking was analyzed using observation technique. It further elaborates the way how the
focus group was conducted in collaboration of municipality of Hasselt, to identify the best parking
concept that can be applied in the selected study area. The detailed procedure of observations, focus
group session, its analysis and findings are also highlighted in this chapter.
The last chapter discusses the conclusions that have been deduced from a detailed study of literature
and analysis of observation forms & focus group. It is concluded that the car ownership rate is
growing with the population so the places to reside these vehicles also need to be increased. It is a
challenge for the local authorities to provide spaces and manage the demand efficiently without
damaging the environment and aesthetics of urban fabric. The issues with residential parking are not
just limited to demand and supply of parking but these also raise the concerns regarding proper
 II

utilization of the existing parking facilities. The existing facilities can only be utilized by making
efficient parking policies and their enforcement. Parking regulations such as fines or penalties for
noncompliance of parking rules can help solving problems such as illegal parking, obstructive
driveways or leaving abandoned vehicles on road. On-street parking, is always preferred by the
residents and authorities because it is close and cheap but on the other hand it is aesthetically
unpleasant to see lot of cars parked on the road. Off-street parking facilities are efficient but these
raise concerns such as underutilization because very less residents are willing to pay for them or to
park their cars at a distance. The efficiency and effectiveness of these conventional parking methods
can be enhanced greatly by using the innovative parking concepts such as shared parking, centralized
parking and smart parking. Some of these concepts also provide strategies for reducing car use such as
demand reduction and parking freezes. All these concepts are helpful not only for the residents but
also for the authorities because no or very less additional cost is incurred in applying these strategies.
Furthermore, automated driving systems are technically very advanced and can be used as the most
efficient car parking concepts. Although these systems are expensive but have very successfully
solved all the issues regarding parking. The features of automated systems such as less fuel usage,
sustainable designs, reduced space, lighting, heating and ventilation requirements have grasped the
eyes of investors. The increased acceptance of such system is creating innovation in performing
parking management efficiently. Moreover, the focus group session elaborated that the residents and
the parking experts at the municipality of Hasselt need a combination of the centralized parking,
shared parking and private car parks as a solution to parking issues that are being faced by the
residents in Runkst. Also the participants of the focus group were agree that the actual parking
problem in Runkst is less availability of free parking space on street. Residential parking problems
have various perspectives and dimensions, so it is recommended that a combination of parking
management strategies or innovative parking systems should be implemented, depending on the level
of acceptance, affordability and ease of usage by the community. As in case of study area (Runkst) a
combination of centralized parking, shared parking and private car parks would be accepted by the
community due to the high acceptance, financial feasibility, integration with current policy and ease
of usage of these concepts.
Author: Annum Khaliq 1

CHAPTER NO. 1
INTRODUCTION
This chapter describes the problem statement that leads to the actual problem situation. Furthermore
the objectives, scope, justification, methodology of research and structure of thesis are also discussed
in the later sections of this chapter.

1.1. Problem Statement

Parking related concerns are no longer confined to the commercial areas rather they are extended
throughout the urban region. There are different types of parking used for residential and commercial
areas. In literature there are many studies that focused on these types of parking. The examples of
such studies include the on-street parking market (Calthrop, 2002; Kelly & Clinch, 2003, 2006, and
2009), the off-street parking market (Shiftan, 2002) and work place parking (Ison & Wall, 2002;
Kuppam et al., 1995). Excluding the type of area (residential or commercial), there are distinctions in
the focus of parking research.
A lot of research is being done in parking management and design of parking facilities in order to
address the issues of parking in the commercial areas. Conventional parking policies have focused on
accommodating travel demand but often overlook their social, economic, and environmental
consequences (McShane & Meyer, 1982). Parking contributes to the appearance of city and suburbs;
affects traffic operations; and is a vital component of the urban street and transit systems. With the
increase in car ownership rate (Coevering & Snellen, 2008) and poor management of parking spaces,
planners need to think about other ways and devise innovative solutions to the parking issues in the
context of residential areas. To manage the allocated space for parking efficiently and to have an
improved urban quality in future, there is a need to define some innovative measures for proper
planning and management of parking vehicles in residential areas.
The currently used procedures for parking in residential areas include on-street and off-street parking.
Off-street parking is usually done in parking garages and other parking facilities placed at a certain
distance from the houses of the residents. While on-street parking is done on the pavement using the
signs and road markings just in front of the house. On-street parking is usually free for the residents.
The local authorities allows the residents to use the pavement space in front of their houses for
parking purposes. In case of off-street parking there are some specially designated areas such as
parking facilities or garages where people pay for using the facility.
There are certain issues that can cause concerns and distress in a local community concerning the
residential on-street parking such as illegal parking, visitor parking, parking of abandoned vehicles or
commercial vehicles. The nature and magnitude of parking problems vary between different types of
neighborhoods. For instance, in the old mixed-use neighborhoods in the center of cities, the car was
not part of the initial urban development plan. The streets are narrow and there is a lack of parking
space while there is a demand for both resident and visitor parking. This leads to high parking
pressures during peak hours.
Obstruction of driveways, damage to soft landscaping and footways are just some examples of what
can occur as a result of these parking problems. In some cases, emergency vehicles are unable to pass
as a result of obstructive parking. On-street parking constitutes a serious emergency hazard wherever
cars block fire hydrants or obstruct fire apparatus. Alternatively, on-street parking bays may be
designated for use by ambulances or police rather than being used for the parking of resident’s cars.
Proper road markings alongside the bay can be used to indicate the type of vehicle allowed to use the
bay (Chick, 1996). Literature review also reveals that the on-street arrangement of parking spaces,
Author: Annum Khaliq 2

either parallel to the curb or at an angle, affects safety. In smaller communities, higher percentages of
local and collector street crashes involve curb parking. One study in a community of 65,000
population found that 43% of all local and collector street crashes involved on-street parking (Box,
1968). In the same city, annual frequencies of 14 parking crashes per mile were found on major
streets, but only 1.8 parking crashes per mile on local and collector streets (Box, 1966).
Another related study reported that parking-related midblock crashes accounted for 49% of all crashes
along major streets, 68% along collector streets, and 72% along local streets (Humphreys J.B. et al,
1979). On-street parking is also a cause of noise pollution, air pollution and visual intrusion. The
increasing parking pressure also affects other aspects of livability in neighborhoods. Due to high
parking pressure, the residential street loses its function as a play space for children and green areas
are affected by illegally parked cars. Furthermore, a profusion of parked cars reduces visibility and
leads to parking search traffic. This affects traffic safety and increases traffic-induced air and noise
pollution. It can be generally stated that on-street parking decreases roadway capacity, impedes traffic
flow and increases crash potential. For these reasons, it is desirable to avoid on-street parking.
With the growing rate of car ownership the need for the availability of space has also increased, the
local authorities’ do not have any power to limit the number of vehicles owned by residents and also
the property's frontage looks like a car sales forecourt, and is out of character with the residential area.
The number of cars will continue to grow in the future. The extent of this growth highly depends on
the population growth and economic developments (Coevering & Snellen, 2008). Conventional
parking techniques in residential areas would not stay as effective in future so there is a need to
provide more options of parking for residents and define a proper system of parking in residential
areas, thus finding out some concepts other than already available in order to meet the future parking
needs.
The purpose of the research is to explore some innovative residential parking ideas which are being
adopted in other countries and see which of those solutions can fit in Belgian context. As the aim of
parking management is not only the provision of parking spaces but also to check the validity of that
solution in the context of area where it is going to be applied. Thus the research is to make an
inventory of parking solutions in the residential areas by identifying the issues which are being faced
by the residents and local authorities and to justify the solution with some innovative ideas.

1.2. Objectives of the Study

The objective of the research is to
1. Explore parking related issues in residential areas faced by the residents.
2. Study in detail the conventional parking concepts in residential areas and their draw backs.
3. Explore new concepts of parking that can be adopted by local authorities in order to efficiently
meet the growing need of parking demand in residential areas.
4. Explore innovative concepts of parking being used in other countries.
5. Identify which of the innovative parking concepts is most applicable in Belgium.

1.3. Scope of the Study

The scope of the research is to explore new parking systems used for residential parking in specific
countries (e.g. U.S.A., Germany & Canada) that can be introduced in the residential areas of Belgium
(selected study area) and to see if the identified concepts, replicated in Belgium would be acceptable
by the community. The limitation of the research is that it does not accounts for the financial
feasibility of the identified innovative parking concepts, also it does not provide any directions for
changing the parking policies and regulations. Also the focus group was conducted to gain insights of
parking experts regarding the identified concepts.
Author: Annum Khaliq 3

1.4. Justification of Research

Residential areas are the points where vehicles are parked for longer durations so the parking
problems are more visible in such areas. Due to significant increase in car ownership rates during last
decades, the need to house the vehicles has also increased. Residents want their cars to be in front of
their doors that makes the residential areas aesthetically look unpleasant and affects the livability and
safety of the area. Also the parking of cars in front of the resident’s house creates obstruction for other
road users. All these issues urge for new parking concepts to be introduced in residential areas. Many
developed countries in the world have introduced new concepts of parking to mitigate the parking
issues. There is a strong need to study various types of parking concepts being used in other countries
and to check their applicability and acceptance by the residents and municipality.

1.5. Research Questions

In addition to the central research question sub-research questions identified are given below:

Q: What types of parking are being used nowadays in residential areas?

Q: What are the draw backs of existing parking concepts?
Q: Are there any other ways to manage parking in residential areas than the already defined concepts
of on-street and off-street parking?
Q: What other countries are doing to cater the problems of parking in residential areas?
Q: Are there any case studies of successful implementation of new parking systems in residential
areas?
Q: Are those systems applicable in Belgium and are acceptable by the community?
Q: What benefits the innovative system will bring if introduced in the current situation?

1.6. Methodology
Topic Selection
The steps taken to complete the report are described below:

Topic selection
Problem Identification
The first task was to select the topic for conducting research. The
motivation behind selecting this topic was to explore innovative
parking techniques that can be used to address the parking Literature Search
problems arising in the residential areas.

Problem Identification Research Approach

The second task was to identify the problem that exists in the
context of residential parking. The issues face by the residents and
Area Profile & Focus Group
factors that influence residential parking.

Literature Search
Analysis of Focus Group
The next task was to search for scientific literature. The literature
search was carried out to review the work done by different
authors with respect to residential parking. The review was
Conclusions
mainly done with the help of desk research in order to generate
different ideas and to elaborate the topic from diverse Figure 1: Research Methodology
viewpoints.

Defining Research Approach

The next task after literature study was defining the research methodology. The research methodology
proposed is based on experiences from previous studies and achieving the research objectives.
Author: Annum Khaliq 4

Setting up Observations & Conducting Focus Group

Observation forms were made and focus group questionnaire were prepared to set up observations and
conduct focus group.

Analysis of Focus Group

After conducting focus group analysis was made and results were deduced using suitable qualitative
analysis technique.

Conclusions & Recommendations

The last task was to conclude the report. The conclusions are made based on facts deduced from the
analysis of focus group.

1.7. Structure of Thesis

The report consists of the following chapters:
Chapter No.1. Introduction comprises of the problems statement, objectives, justifications and
research questions and scope of research.
Chapter No. 2. Residential Parking Overview deals with scientific literature focused on selected
topic.
Chapter No. 3. Research Approach defines the research method to be adopted to carry out the
research.
Chapter No. 4. Area Profile & Focus Group comprises of the area profile of Runkst and guidelines
for conducting focus group.
Chapter No. 5. Analysis of Focus group deals with the analysis & findings from observations &
focus group.
Chapter No. 6. Conclusions & Recommendations comprises of the conclusions deduced from
literature, and results obtained from analysis are discussed.
Author: Annum Khaliq 5

CHAPTER NO. 2
RESIDENTIAL PARKING OVERVIEW
This chapter discusses the literature in the context of residential parking, it includes different methods
in which residential parking is being done nowadays. These include on-street and off-street parking,
furthermore sub types of on-street and off-street are also highlighted. Explaining these methods were
necessary to have a clear view about the residential parking techniques and reflect on the
inconveniences these methods are bringing in the overall urban environment. Parking regulations are
also mentioned that are used by the local authorities to maintain residential parking.
The draw backs of conventional parking methods (on-street, off-street) along with various parking
issues and their solutions, described in the scientific literature are also explained. Keeping in view the
literature some innovative parking techniques for better utilization of existing parking facilities such
as (in-lieu fees, shared parking, centralized parking, smart parking, private car parks) and systems
(automated, semi-automated parking systems) are also discussed which are being adopted by most of
the developed cities (Manhattan, Munich & Toronto) to overcome parking related issues. The
innovative parking systems and their potential benefits are also highlighted in the end using the
project information of various parking systems developers.

2.1. Parking in Residential Areas

People like to park their car closely to their homes. Residential parking is also a part of municipal
parking. The city has the responsibility to provide the residents with a place to park their cars.
Especially the people who live close to the downtown area struggle to secure a space to park their
cars. Usually the city manages residential parking with parking permits, to be requested by residents
to place their cars on-street.
Parking management is done by making parking laws and policies, these are then regulated using
certain measures of enforcement. A system of parking fees, restrictions and fines is in place
throughout towns and cities all over the world, to ensure that careless parking does not cause
obstructions for other motorists, businesses and impinge on the safety of pedestrians.
Most local authorities employ their own traffic wardens to enforce the parking regulations and issue
fines. Local authority is responsible for creating bye-laws that list places in town/city where parking
fees will be imposed. Parking fees and paying methods (disc parking, permit parking, car parks and
"pay and display" parking) vary throughout the country and can be set and adjusted by the local
authority. Revenue generated from public parking fees and fines is used to cover the costs of
operating these services.
Enforcement of parking regulations is done with the help of traffic wardens. They are representatives
of local authority and can issue tickets for illegal parking and non-payment of parking fees. A system
of fixed charge parking fines for illegal parking and non-payment of parking fees has been in place
throughout different countries. Fines are issued by traffic wardens. Parking is restricted in certain
parts of most towns and cities during business hours. Parking information signs on the streets clearly
display the hours when the restrictions are in operation. During these hours, drivers are not allowed to
obstruct driveways, bus lanes and loading zones. Disabled parking spaces are off limits at all times to
all motorists unless they have an appropriate permit.
If residents need to avail on-street parking in their area, resident's permit can be obtained from the
traffic division of local authority that allows to park on street. This permit cost approximately €25
Author: Annum Khaliq 6

(prices may vary, depending on location). Permit usually specifies the name of that street. Only one
permit is issued to any individual car owner and one household can only have four permits. For a
building divided into more than one unit of accommodation, one parking permit per unit is entitle
(Citizen Information board Ireland, 2013).
Disc parking operates outside the central zone and in some suburban areas of cities. Many urban areas
are divided into zones for traffic management purposes. The central zone contains town center where
the demand for parking is highest and the parking fees are most expensive. Information signs are
erected in areas where disc parking is in operation, giving details about the hours of operation of the
scheme, the maximum parking time and the parking fees. Pay and display parking operates with a
single solar powered meter serving about 20 spaces. There are signs in pay and display parking areas
giving details of the hours that scheme operates and the maximum duration for parking. Prices range
per hour, depending on area, but in general fees range from 80 cent to €2.90 per hour. Dublin City
Council have a parking tag scheme that allows citizens pay for parking using their mobile (Citizen
Information board Ireland, 2013).
Private car parks are not regulated by the government. These are privately owned and revenue earned
from parking in these car parks goes directly to the owners and not to local authority. The prices
charged in private car parks vary from place to place, ranging from about 80 cent to €2.50 per hour.
Prices are determined by the car park owner. Vehicle clamping in public places is in place in some
cities. Services are operated in those cities by private companies on behalf of the local authority.
Local authorities have power to tow away vehicles that have been abandoned or illegally parked on a
public road or in a local authority car park. Vehicles are towed to a car pound and a significant fee (up
to 160 euro) may be charged for their release. Most local authority web sites have details of parking
restrictions and the type of pay parking in operation in the area. Any contravention of local authority
parking bye laws carries a fixed-charge fine. Details of where parking fine can be paid are written on
parking ticket. A clamped vehicle, can be fined ranging from €25 to €90, depending on the local
authority or private company involved (Citizen Information board Ireland, 2013).

2.1.1. On-Street Parking

On-street parking refers to park anywhere on or along the curb of streets, in contrast to parking it in a
parking garage. In some streets it is allowed to park the vehicle on the street, but sometimes there are
restrictions. Mostly these restrictions are presented by traffic signs. Residents need a parking permit to
park their cars on-street. To make sure people follow these rules and restrictions, cities hire
enforcement officers. Types of on-street parking can be controlled (paid) on-street parking or
uncontrolled (free) on-street parking. On-street parking can be done in many ways. It can be parallel,
angled or back in angled.
Parallel parking achieves the greatest efficiency in terms of the street cross-section, or the distance
from curb to curb across a street. However, it is the least efficient in terms of quantity of spaces
provided. Many cities and downtowns utilize on-street parallel parking.
Angled parking provide efficiency along with user-friendly method for parking on the
street. Generally, it should be used as a mean of traffic calming and as a way of providing efficient
on-street parking. The disadvantages is the additional street width necessary to accommodate angled
parking. 45° angled parking is utilized in many historic downtowns where right-of-way space is
limited. The angle of the parking decreases the necessary adjacent lane width along with the setback
from the curb for the lane to begin. Where right-of-ways are very limited, most municipalities utilize
the parallel parking option.
Back-in angled parking (or reverse-angled parking) has similar advantages to that of angled
parking. When reverse angled parking is utilized, less maneuvering space is needed in the street cross-
section (John, 2011).
Author: Annum Khaliq 7

2.1.2. Off-Street Parking

Off-street parking refers to park the vehicle anywhere but not on the street. Off-street parking include
different types of parking facilities. These can be both indoor and outdoor, public or private. Off-
street parking can be a parking garage or a parking space that belongs to the property of a person’s
house. In other ways, off-street parking can be (short stay, long-stay and contract).
A parking lot is an area that is assigned for parking. Normally, the parking spaces are marked on the
ground with white or yellow lines that form squares and each square fits one car.
Detached garages are sometimes built after the completion of house construction and come in variety
of sizes and configurations. Attached garages are part of the house structure and are easier to heat
than detached garages. Indoor parking means that the area is completely enclosed and is above the
ground. Underground parking is usually reserved for high-rise apartment condominiums because
building an underground parking garage is expensive, they are not that common except in the
downtown core.
Outdoor parking stalls are often reserved for condominium and apartment-dwellers. These parking
stalls are not common near the center of the city, but can be seen near high-rise and low-rise
apartments in many other areas of the city. A miniature version of a stall, a parking pad is meant for
just one or two cars and are not covered. A pad consists of just a concrete or asphalt parking area.
This is the least expensive form of off-street parking.
Multilevel parking garages are ones which have multiple floors to park at. The design of a
multilevel parking garage can be very different. Some garages have ramps or lifts while some have
robotic systems that move cars from one level to another. The floors of the parking garage can either
go up, down or both.

2.2. Draw backs of Conventional Parking Techniques

The conventional parking either on-street or off-street are no longer efficient to be implemented in
urban areas. The concerns raised by them are more negative in nature than their benefits. Some of the
effects of conventional parking methods are listed in the following sections.

2.2.1. Issues of Off-Street Parking

Urban planners consider that the off-street parking has destroyed the urban fabric. Many old
neighborhoods which were built before the invention of automobile were uninterrupted pedestrian
zones. As historic buildings were renovated to accommodate parking spaces, the town centers became
easier to access by car but much more difficult to walk through, as parking lots create large gaps
between land uses. Large number of people therefore choose to drive, which increases parking
demand and thus degrade the town’s pedestrian qualities and the area becomes a less desirable place
to visit, with parking supply easily accommodating parking demand, but the special qualities and
uninterrupted urban fabric that comes with pedestrian orientation greatly diminished. Aerial
photographs of many American cities and suburbs show that parking land area is often equal to or
greater than non-parking area (streets, buildings, sidewalks, parks) (Shoup, 1997).
Off-street parking encourages car ownership and car use, thus further increasing parking demand.
Increased traffic is a hazard for all non-driving street users. Parking consumes valuable land that
could be otherwise used for housing units or green spaces thus reducing the tax base. Parking lots
when not in use form empty spaces where no one wants to be, reduces the sense of personal safety.
All residents and other consumers must bear the costs of parking facilities (as additional costs along
with rents), whether they use the facilities or not. Off-street parking, limits pedestrian access to
destinations (driveways to off-street parking cut through sidewalks) and are sometimes dangerous to
pedestrians. Overall off-street parking facilities gives a view of an ugly car storage which is an
undesirable feature of streetscape.
Author: Annum Khaliq 8

An oversupply of off-street parking leads to underutilizing in urban areas that are primarily walkable
and transit oriented in nature. This oversupply of parking consumes more space and creates dead
zones that disperse amenities and destinations, thus making the area difficult to walk through. Most
importantly, free parking adds more cars to the street, compromising the safety of pedestrians and
bicyclists. As the local governments usually need to provide sufficient space for parking, they have
generally shown a little interest in parking design or aesthetics. This causes a significant damage to
most of neighborhood vistas because parking now fills a significant proportion of the area. As Donald
Shoup points out, “we not only pay for off-street parking, but we also have to look at it”. Most off-
street parking results in blank walls or empty spaces, disrupting the pedestrian realm (Shoup, 1997).
A study from city of Portland based on the impacts of parking requirements on housing affordability,
uses a hypothetical development and considers a number of different scenarios for providing parking
to the building. Results show that there are trade-offs involved, as the method of providing parking
spaces not only increases the cost, but also limits the ability of a building to fully utilize a site. For
example, providing parking via an off-street surface lot is rather cheap to build, but has a high
opportunity cost – that land used for parking cannot also be used for housing. The study keeps the
land area and the zoning envelope constant: that is, the off-street parking must be provided on-site,
and the variance for extra building height cannot be obtained. The trade-offs for this hypothetical
development, are between cost (the rent charged to get a return on investment) and in utilization of the
site (Block, 2012).
Increasingly regarded as one of the great planning disasters, off-street parking requirements uncovers
the reason behind using a motor vehicle to make almost 90 percent of all trips in America. Because
free parking spaces serve as a “cheap, convenient, direct, sedentary connection to most points in the
city” and lead to a diminished street life. These spaces also provide an impetus for large-scale sprawl
in most areas (Shoup, 1997).

2.2.2. Issues of On-Street Parking

On-street parking supply has affected the quality of urban life in a negative sense. The demand for
parking from the residents living in properties where there is less or no provision for parking facilities
have raised issues on-street. The on-street parking usually restricts the safe passage of pedestrians
walking along narrow pavements because the vehicles are sometimes parked partly on the pavement.
This also damages the surface footway and the services underneath.
Another problem is that as a street becomes congested with parked cars it is easier for vehicles to be
abandoned unnoticed thereby restricting parking supply even more. Environmental pollution created
and the time spent when searching for a vacant parking space is another effect of the limited on-street
parking supply. Difficulties with parking close to one’s home can lead to disputes between neighbors.
There is anecdotal evidence that there has been an increase in the number of disputes between
neighbors relating to parking issues (Parking forum, 2004).
In order to accommodate the demand for parking spaces in some areas, the situation has resulted in
larger vehicles such as buses, commercial and emergency vehicles having difficulty in easily
travelling along these roads. Whilst the slowing of traffic can increase road safety issues, it can also
impede the passage of buses thereby delaying their passengers or emergency vehicles attending an
incident. Parked vehicles are also liable to damage (protruding wing mirrors, etc.). When the needs of
residents’ visitors and delivery vehicles are all taken into account the demand for curb side parking
spaces far exceeds supply on an increasing number of residential roads (Parking forum, 2004).
The environmental impact and safety of an area can also be adversely affected by excessive on-street
parking. If remedies are not developed soon there could ultimately be parking gridlock in some
suburban areas where streets and properties are not designed for parked cars. Dealing with on-street
parking in residential areas is clearly a situation that will get worse as the number of vehicles increase.
Author: Annum Khaliq 9

Traffic capacity (number of vehicles moving along a section of roadway) is lost due to parking along
a street. Parking, backing, stopping, or standing vehicles during a parking maneuver physically
restricts other traffic movements. The presence of vehicle in the street, opening doors between cars
also interfere with efficient traffic movement or pedestrians walking (Parking forum, 2004).
In the city of New York, local governments’ minimum street-width standards may force developers to
oversupply, and residents to pay excessively for on-street parking in residential neighborhoods. Such
oversupply is often presumed to encourage car ownership and reduce housing affordability, although
less evidence exists in this regard. Free residential street parking increases private car ownership by
nearly 9%; that is, the availability of free street parking explains 1 out of 11 cars owned by
households with off-street parking (Guo, 2013).

2.3. Parking Problems in Residential Areas

A comparison of residential parking with non-residential parking shows that residential parking has
certain unique characteristics. Residential parking not only means providing an adequate number of
parking spaces but also involves finding the proper place to park cars. New residential areas are
usually developed at low density to provide desired space for parking along the street. This contrasts
with non-residential areas (and with old residential areas, especially in the city center) where the
intensity of development is so high that curb space is clearly inadequate and off-street parking is a
necessity. Up till now, off-street parking requirements are applied specifically to new residential
development. One reason for off-street parking requirements is community appearance or the desire to
keep cars out of sight and to keep the environment attractive. Another reason is a concern for safety;
streets cluttered with parked cars may be hazardous (obstruction for other vehicles). Since off-street
parking requirements in residential areas are based mostly on community sentiment, the requirements
often seem useless to the outside observer. The fact is that no standards are universally valid, each
community must decide for it to what extent curb parking is acceptable and to what extent off-street
parking should be required (Ornstein, 1966).
Another characteristic of residential areas is that the space required for parking is related to car
ownership. In non-residential areas, however, space is provided for all customers, employees, visitors.
In residential areas, the use of the cars is largely irrelevant. One important reason of this difference is
that the availability of mass transit facilities in residential area although it has little impact on parking
needs; a person may use accessible mass transit to get to work, but he still may own a car for other
reasons. Therefore, the average number of cars per family in an area served by mass transit may differ
slightly from the average in an area which has little or no such service. Another reason is that
residential parking is aimed at providing the "long-term" parking demands of car owners, not the
"short-term" demands of visitors and commercial vehicles. The demand in residential areas for
overnight parking is indeed greater than in commercial or non-residential areas, with the peak demand
that occurs between 2:30 and 5:30 a.m. often the short-term demand is completely ignored. It is
expected that the visitors will find space along the curb or will pay for space in a garage or parking
lot. Sometimes if there is a provision of free off-street parking in the apartment buildings, it is meant
only for the residents. For commercial vehicles it is assumed that they stay for a short period of time
so will find space along the curb or, if necessary, will double-park. Another dimensions of parking
problem in residential areas which is not observed in non-residential areas is the concern over
devoting a significant proportion of residential land to parking, this in turn raises the concern over the
possibility that the area will be dominated by parking spaces both on and off the street (Ornstein,
1966).
The literature describes three important concerns that resulted in the current parking problems in
residential areas. The first concern points out an increase in car ownership. For example, in the
Netherlands the number of cars per household increased from 0.86 in 1995 to 1.05 in 2010 (CROW,
Author: Annum Khaliq 10

2006). The second concern highlights the availability of parking spaces in residential areas. The
number of parking spaces is not increasing and many existing parking spaces are removed in favor of
other land uses such as buildings or bus stops. This case is similar for private areas where parking
space is utilized for an extension of dwelling. The third concern uncovers the spill-over demand for
parking from other areas where restricted parking policies have been introduced such as central
business and shopping areas. The intensity of parking problems strongly depends on the type and
location of the area (Coevering & Snellen, 2008).
In Europe, problems tend to be most intense in pre-war neighborhoods where in most cases planners
did not take into account the presence of cars. Parking issues in newer neighborhoods is mainly
caused by an increase in car ownership rates. (Marsden, 2006) mentioned an increase of 12 million
cars by 2030 in the UK. Approximately a quarter of these cars have to be parked on-street. Cities
already face several parking problems in residential areas such as high occupancy rates, long walking
distances between parking and dwellings, and vandalism at parking facilities. The increase of parking
problems in residential areas causes different effects on residents’ behavior that includes the choice of
home location and various travel choices such as travel mode and parking location.
Some other studies provide evidence of relationships between residential parking and residents’
preferences. In 1993, Balcombe and York investigated the effects of parking measures in residential
areas in England that experienced severe parking problems. They found that residents reduce car use
because they are afraid of losing a close parking place. In addition, residents fear vandalism when the
car is parked at some distance from their home. Empirical evidence on the importance of distance
between home parking, and security for the design of parking facilities in residential areas was also
found by (Stubbs, 2002). He also investigated the effect of the layout of parking in residential areas
on residents’ preferences. It was found that if parking provision is not satisfactory regarding distance
and security, residents are unlikely to purchase a house in the neighborhood. (Borgers et al, 2008)
investigated residents’ preferences for residential areas with restrained car access. In a stated choice
experiment, residents were invited to evaluate hypothetical plans for residential neighborhoods. The
plans were defined using different transport-related characteristics including parking. The parking
situation was represented by a combined variable describing distance from home to parking facility
and presence of security. They found a negative effect of parking at distance from home on the
residents’ preferences. The negative effect is partly compensated by the presence of security.

2.3.1. Problems Associated to Parking Demand, Supply and Utilization

Demand and supply are two major causes of problems associated with parking. The demand for
parking space, car ownership per household, increased by 25 percent during the last two decades, it
seems a problem in most of the residential areas because supply of parking did not develop at the
same pace.
However, parking problems do not occur solely because of a lack of parking spaces. In 2007, there
were 7.2 million cars and 850.000 delivery vans in the Netherlands while the total parking supply
estimated at 12.5 up to 15.6 million parking spaces (IOO, 2002). In addition to a lack of parking space
in certain areas, parking facilities face underutilization. This is due to the uneven spatial distribution
of demand and supply of parking space, which further leads to local surpluses and shortages of
available parking space (Figure 3). Compared to less urbanized regions, car ownership levels in
urbanized regions are lower. Nevertheless, the number of cars per hectare is considerably higher in
these areas. This reflects a trade-off between the lower car ownership levels per household and the
higher concentration of households per hectare. Consequently, urbanized areas have to deal with a
concentration of parking demand. At the same time, the availability of parking spaces is lower
because the high densities reduce the amount of public space. This combination often leads to parking
problems in the (strongly) urbanized areas.
Author: Annum Khaliq 11

Figure 2: Household car ownership and cars per hectare by degree of urbanization of the postal area
(Source: CBS/RDW 2007)

Moreover, the low level of utilization is affected by the separation of land-uses. This produces local
and temporary peaks in parking demand, during the day on work and leisure locations and during the
night at residential locations. In the off-peak periods, the utilization of parking supply is very low. In
areas having mixed-use development the use of parking facilities is often restricted to one user group
(residents or visitors). Residents use their private parking facilities like garages, drives and carports
often for other purposes and park their car in the public area. This leads to high parking pressures in
public space whilst the theoretical supply of parking is sufficient. Thus the residents are not willing to
walk long distances to the parking facilities. This results in illegal parking near the dwelling while
there is sufficient parking space available on other locations in the neighborhood (Coevering &
Snellen, 2008).
In the UK cars are usually parked either off-street in garages or on-street in residential areas. In a
nation-wide survey of 500 drivers conducted in 2005 reported that 73% of cars are parked off-street at
night – either in a garage (26%) or in a communal parking area (47%). Parking at older houses is
usually on-street, while that at detached properties is more likely to be off-street. Even amongst single
person households, who might prefer to live in areas where off-street parking is less likely to be
available, 60% of cars were parked off road. Over the previous seven years, the usage of garages had
reduced from 28% to 24%, despite the construction of more houses with garages, with more drivers
now choosing to park their car outside. The same survey found that a parking space will increase
around 8% of the value of a property, while a single garage will add a further 3%, and a double garage
a further 9%. However, at the same time, people appeared unwilling to pay directly for parking. When
asked what price they would pay to secure parking outside their homes per year, more than half those
surveyed would not pay anything; only 2% would pay over £500 (TRL, 2010).

2.3.2. Problems Associated to Resident’s Choice

The lack of parking space is a major drawback for residents specially those who live close to
commercial areas. Most residents think of it as the most important source of annoyance in their
neighborhood (Vereniging Eigen Huis, 2007). The increasing parking pressure also affects other
aspects of live ability in neighborhoods. With increased parking pressure, the residential street loses
its function as a play space for children and green areas are affected by illegally parked cars.
Excessive number of parked cars reduces visibility and leads to parking search traffic. This affects
traffic safety and increases traffic-induced air and noise pollution.
Parking problems vary between different types of neighborhoods. For instance, in the old mixed-use
neighborhoods in the center of cities, the streets are narrow and there is a lack of parking space while
there is a demand for both resident and visitor parking. This leads to high parking pressures during
Author: Annum Khaliq 12

day-and night time. As a solution authorities introduce paid parking and parking permits to mitigate
parking problems in these areas and reserve parking space for residents. In contrast, in single-use
suburbs built from 70’s onwards in the Netherlands, parking problems, are mainly caused by the high
levels of car ownership of households. The car was already an integral part of the urban development
plans of these suburbs, still these plans could not anticipate the vast growth of car ownership during
the past decades. The parking standards used are too low for the current level of car ownership.
Despite the high level of annoyance, residents hardly seem to adjust their level of car ownership to the
available parking space in their residential area. The benefit of owning an (additional) car seems to be
larger than the burden of the collective parking problems. This becomes more apparent from
questionnaires regarding the live ability in residential areas. The individual problem, lack of parking
space, is regarded as the major problem. The collective problem, the profusion of parked cars and
related nuisance are regarded as less important by residents. Furthermore, parking problems are rarely
a reason to relocate. People change their place of residence primarily because of factors related to the
type of dwelling and changes in household composition. In the extremely urbanized areas in major
cities, parking pressure plays a slightly larger role in residential mobility (Coevering & Snellen,
2008).
In the early 1990s, Balcombe and York undertook two surveys and examined the views of households
in a variety of residential areas and a sample of local authorities. One of the questions put forward to
residents comprised of valuing a parking space. Although the answers were hypothetical, the findings
reported that between 33 – 50% of car owners would be prepared to pay up to £50 annually for an on-
street space. One of the conclusions from the study was that pricing mechanisms alone were unlikely
to level demand. (Balcombe and York, 1993).

2.4. Parking Solutions

There are different interests and viewpoints to consider when making decisions regarding parking
management. Each municipality with its unique neighborhoods have different needs so there is no
single parking policy that will work for the entire region (see annex I for parking problems). (Litman,
2006) suggests that planners should use the principles of consumer choice, efficient utilization,
sharing, flexibility, user information, prioritization, pricing, peak management, quality vs. quantity
and comprehensive analysis when making decisions to support parking management. So that the
people should have information on feasible parking and travel options. Parking facilities should serve
multiple users and destinations. These facilities should be sized and managed in a way so that the
spaces to be utilized properly. Parking plans should accommodate uncertainty and change. Most
desirable spaces should be managed to favor higher-priority uses. As much as possible, users should
pay directly for the parking facilities they use. Special efforts should be made to deal with peak-
demand. Parking facility quality should be considered as important as quantity, including aesthetics,
security and accessibility. All significant costs and benefits should be considered in parking planning.
Local authorities are responsible for the maintenance of public space, including unallocated parking
spaces. It is expected by the residents that the local authorities will handle parking problems in their
communal area. A lot of difficulties are experienced by the local authorities due to increased car
ownership, in managing the parking situation. There can be three policy options for the authorities:
 Discourage car ownership;
 Optimize the use of existing parking space;
 Create more parking space;

2.4.1. Discourage Car Ownership

Controlled parking zones if introduced with parking permits can reduce parking demand. By
controlling the number of parking permits, parking demand can be adjusted to the total supply of
Author: Annum Khaliq 13

parking spaces. Parking without a permit is prohibited unless parking permits are combined with paid
parking. This way, visitors can also use the available parking space which has a positive effect on
utilizations. However, the concept of controlled parking zones is restricted city centers. Outside these
areas, lower densities make enforcement of these schemes more labor-intensive. The lack of mixed-
development reduces the amount of visitors and subsequently the potential for paid parking
(Coevering & Snellen, 2008).
Another way to discourage car ownership is the provision of alternatives such as efficient public
transport, proper facilities for cycling, walking and introduction of car sharing schemes. However, in
general, the potential to discourage car ownership is low. There is a limited relationship between
spatial and public transport characteristics and car ownership levels. Cycling and walking facilities are
desirable as these slow modes server as an alternative for the private car if small distances to facilities
are provided. Lower densities and single-use zoning in suburban areas makes distance to destinations
long thus making slow modes less attractive. Car sharing schemes have somehow affected the private
car ownership. It is most significant in old, high density neighborhoods in large cities only. The
overall effect of car sharing scheme, on the parking situation has been limited so far (Coevering &
Snellen, 2008).

2.4.2. Optimize the Use of Existing Parking Space

In most of the residential areas the utilization of parking space also seems to be an area of interest.
Parking facilities are usually accessible for one user group; residents, employees or visitors and theses
facilities cater demand only for peak hours. Residential parking demand has its peak during evening
and night while parking demand from employees and visitors has its peak by day. As a result, large
amount of parking space is used for a short amount of time. Opening up parking facilities for different
user groups can increase utilization considerably.
The potential for mixed-use of parking facilities depends on the amount of mixed-use development in
the area. This concept cannot be successful in case of single-use areas having only one user group.
Increasing mixed-use development can add a significant contribution to better utilizations of parking
facilities but this can only be achieved through a planned long-term strategy. The current single use
lay-out in many areas is not likely to change in future, despite spatial policies directed at increasing
mixed-use development, this type of development in new residential areas is limited (Snellen et al.,
2005).
Furthermore, residents often under-utilized their own private parking facilities. They use the driveway
and parking space in front gardens often for other purposes and park the car in public space. Local
authorities should encourage residents to use these spaces as first priority. However, enforcement is
hardly possible when parking in public space is not restricted with parking permits. Without
additional parking schemes, the highest attainable option for local and central governments is to
encourage the perception that parking in the public area is a privilege, not a right (Coevering &
Snellen, 2008).
A review of existing literature revealed a lack of consensus on the factors that drive parking use and
account for the variation in auto ownership. Although socio-demographic, housing and built
environment variables have shown an impact on residential parking and vehicle availability, but their
relative influence is still a source of debate. King County undertook a research in order to better
understand the factors that contribute to variation (increase or decrease) in parking utilization for
multifamily housing. More than 100 factors were developed for data collection and analysis that could
be grouped in five areas:
 Parking supply and price;
 Property/development characteristics;
 Neighborhood household characteristics;
Author: Annum Khaliq 14

 Accessibility;
 Built form/development patterns.
These factors were developed based on data availability and possible influences on parking
utilization. The independent variables included supply, average monthly parking cost to tenant,
average rent, density, household income, household size, bedroom count, presence of children, age,
distance to nearest transit stop, job density, proximity to schools, walk score, block size, and block
density. This research directs to consider the proper provision of parking, given several land use,
transit and walk factors. In some cases block size, population and job density, walk and transit access
to trip destinations influence parking utilization by 50 percent (Ransford et al., 2013).

2.4.3. Create More Parking Space

Authority should create parking spaces to cater for the demand along with managing the utilization of
these spaces. The authorities usually meet the demand by providing additional parking spaces on-site.
Creating these spaces are relatively cheap (€1.500-2.500 per parking space). However, due to the vast
growth of car ownership, these measures do not seem to be sufficient any more. The expansion of
parking space conflicts with space needed for green zones and space for play area for children. This
case is common in both high & low density neighborhoods. Opportunities to convert functions in
public space are limited.
The lack of public spaces urges local authorities to consider more innovative measures while creating
more parking spaces. More expensive alternatives for on-street parking like garage parking and
mechanical and automated parking facilities (automated garages or car stackers) have to be
considered. This can enhance the opportunities to provide parking both below and above ground level,
creating a more efficient use of on-street parking space. These measures can also be integrated in new
building plans. Most important is the reduction in the nuisance (noise, visual & environmental
pollution) caused by heavy flow of traffic searching for parking. The suitability of these alternatives
depends on the lay-out of an area because automated garages usually provide large number of parking
spaces, these are suitable for high density mixed-use areas. The number of potential users increase
with the increase in density of the area and mixed-use provides opportunities for garage to be utilized
more with different user groups. In suburban, low-density neighborhoods, garages are less useful due
to the lack of potential users. Small-scale car stackers are more convenient in these areas. High costs
of these automated parking systems (€10.000- 40.000 per parking space) is the major issue. Local
authorities cannot provide these parking spaces at low tariffs of regular on-street parking. Residents
are also reluctant to pay these additional costs. Experience from residential parking garages in urban
renewal areas show that higher tariffs are not easily accepted and residents try to find a 'free' parking
spot in the surrounding neighborhoods. Consequently, many residential parking garages suffer from
underutilization and the neighborhoods from circulating traffic. This means that parking regulation in
surrounding areas is very important when new (expensive) parking spaces for residents are considered
(Coevering & Snellen, 2008).

2.5. The Future of Residential Parking

The studies have revealed that household car ownership will continue to rise with 5 to 16 percent in
the future (2030) (Coevering & Snellen, 2008). Highly urbanized areas in the Netherlands will have
the highest growth in car ownership. It is difficult to predict which areas will have excessive parking
problems, as this also depends on the policies made by the local government. The parking problems
should be considered as an integral part of local transport policies.

2.5.1. Pay per Use for Residential Parking

Reluctance of residents to pay for parking is one of the major aspects that need to be considered by
the local authorities while making parking policies. The reason of this reluctance is that majority of
Author: Annum Khaliq 15

residents do not have the idea about the costs (and returns) of residential parking and often consider
'free' parking as their right. Indeed, residents rarely pay directly for the use of parking space. The costs
of residential parking are paid via local taxes and these are added in the housing price. Furthermore,
the returns on parking permits do not cover the costs of enforcement and local governments use
revenues from paid parking in the city centers to compensate for the parking shortage in residential
areas. A relationship between the actual use of parking space and the costs is practically nonexistent
because most parking spaces are unallocated. Regardless of the household car ownership level every
household in a given residential area pays the same price for parking (Coevering & Snellen, 2008)
In order to meet the needs of future parking demand the principal of pay per use is necessary to be
considered. This will make the residents aware of the actual costs of residential parking and these
costs can affect their decisions while purchasing (additional) car. When residents are faced with the
actual costs of parking, more expensive parking solutions, such as automated parking systems may
become an option. To enable the pay-per-use principle, it is necessary to discern the indirect costs of
parking and these costs should be divided amongst the car owners. The introduction of the 'pay-per-
use' principle in residential parking will bring about a major cultural change in dealing with residential
parking.

2.5.2. New Residential areas

When planning for new residential areas, realistic parking standards are necessary. These should be in
accordance to the household characteristics of the area. High income households will have higher car
ownership rates, regardless of the spatial features of the surrounding residential area. Especially when
local authorities try to increase urban densities by building in existing urban areas, the car ownership
levels of new inhabitants could be considerably higher than car ownership of the current residents.
Parking standards provide a rough estimation of the future parking demand. The household car
ownership is highly dependent on economic and demographic characteristics. Local authorities can
anticipate this by creating more flexible urban plans, for instance by allocating space that can be
transformed to parking space in the future. The utilization of parking spaces varies with mixed use
and single use areas. In case of single use areas, parking spaces should be allocated to individual
dwellings (households). Allocated parking space includes spaces within the premises of a property
(driveway, carport or garage) and spaces in communal areas reserved for one particular property.
Unallocated on-street parking space should be limited in these areas (Coevering & Snellen, 2008).

2.6. Innovative Ways of Parking Utilization

Abandoned properties in an area that had a thriving character once are left behind as underutilized
public infrastructure, these sort of buildings thus feed the cycle of disinvestment in urban areas. As
the population became more dependent on automobiles, providing parking in urban areas has become
a significant expense. It is necessary to reduce suburban sprawl and protect the environment by
encouraging developers to invest within existing urban infrastructures. Providing parking in outlying
green field areas is less difficult because of the availability of land at low cost.
An important way to reduce the demand for parking is to shift transportation behaviors in the
direction of non-auto modes. This can be achieved by providing incentives for using alternative
modes and reducing the availability of parking spaces. Such changes will encourage infill
redevelopment and reduce vehicle miles traveled, emissions and congestion. Innovative ways are
needed to better utilize the existing parking facilities e.g., in-lieu parking fees to cover costs of city
garages, shared parking arrangements when users park at different times of the day, shuttle buses from
centralized parking facilities and alternatives designed to reduce the demand for parking by providing
incentives for non-auto modes of transportation (e.g., public transit subsidies, “cash-out” programs,
trip reduction programs, bicycle amenities) (USEPA, 1999).
Author: Annum Khaliq 16

2.6.1. In-Lieu Parking Fees

To cater the demand of on-site parking spaces, municipalities establish in-lieu parking fees as an
alternative. With in-lieu fees, developers can decrease parking on-site by paying the city a fee. The
city, in return, provides centralized off-site parking that is available for use by the development’s
tenants and visitors. The city determines the fees which is based on the cost of providing parking.
Cities set fees either by calculating a flat fee for parking spaces not provided by a developer on-site or
by establishing development-specific fees on a case-by-case basis. (Shoup, 1998) reports that in-lieu
fees in the United States range from $5,850 to $20,180 per parking space. These fees can be imposed
as a property tax surcharge. In-lieu parking fees provide advantages to both planners and developers
by allowing developers to pay fees in-lieu of constructing parking can reduce overall construction
costs. It also helps to avoid unattractive on-site parking and ensures that existing parking facilities will
be more fully utilized. With in-lieu fees, redevelopment projects involving historic buildings can
avoid constructing parking that would compromise the character of the buildings.
While introducing in-lieu parking fees, planners must be aware of the impact of a lack of on-site
parking on the attractiveness of developments to tenants and visitors. If available public parking is
insufficient, inconveniently located or inefficiently operated, it can raise issues. Planners must
carefully consider the parking demand for each contributing property and provide enough parking to
meet this demand in order to avoid creating a perceived parking shortage. Planners must also work to
ensure that public parking facilities are centrally located and operated efficiently (USEPA, 1999).

2.6.2. Shared Parking

Customers, workers, and visitors are attracted by different types of land uses during different times of
the day. When setting parking requirements in mixed-use areas city planners can use shared parking
as another alternative. An office that has peak parking demand during the daytime hours, for example,
can share the same parking spaces with a restaurant whose demand peaks in the evening. This
alternative also reduces overall development costs. The total number of spaces required for mixed-use
developments can be decreased by encouraging shared parking. It also encourages use of large
centralized parking facilities and discourages the development of many small parking facilities. This
results in more efficient traffic flow because there are fewer curb cuts, and turning opportunities on
main roads. This helps in reducing accidents and emissions from vehicles stuck in traffic. Establishing
shared parking involves site-specific assessment. While developing shared parking, planners need to
consider some factors such as physical layout of the development, number of spaces for each
individual land use, parking users involved (e.g., employees, residents, or hotel guests who park all
day or customers and visitors who park for short periods of time) and hourly accumulation of parking
for each land use (USEPA, 1999).

Photo 1: Shared Parking

Author: Annum Khaliq 17

2.6.3. Centralized Parking

Centralized Parking are parking facilities, located in the center of the
neighborhood designated to be used by the residents of the community
rather than parking on street. In large neighborhoods shuttle services are
used to and from the centralized parking facilities to facilitate the users.
These facilities can reduce the costs of parking because large facilities are
less expensive on a per space basis to build and maintain than small
facilities. Centralized parking, as an alternative to on-site parking, also
improves urban design and preserves the historic nature of communities.
Some cities mandate centralized parking facilities and finance them through
development impact fees or negotiated contributions established during the
environmental review process. The concept of centralized parking facilities Photo 2: Centralized parking
is good with respect to economic, environmental and urban design perspective but raises concerns for
building occupants, such as lack of parking proximity. These concerns can be addressed by providing
reliable and frequent shuttle services to and from the centralized parking facilities. Successful
centralized parking has been accomplished in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In this case, centralized
facilities are located at the periphery of the city, reducing traffic emissions in the downtown area and
freeing up land in the center for redevelopment (USEPA, 1999).

2.6.4. Parking Freezes

After certain time limit some areas in the neighborhood are not allowed
to be used for the purpose of parking specially the residential streets (e.g.
parking is not allowed in the residential streets close to city center after
5pm). The amount of parking required can be directly reduced through
parking freezes that cap the total number of parking spaces in a particular
district. Such freezes have been implemented in various areas of the U.S. Photo 3: Parking Freezes
in response to non-attainment of environmental standards, traffic congestion or other urban planning
considerations. Parking freezes need to be implemented in conjunction with viable public
transportation options. Cities with successful parking freezes generally have strong economies and are
attractive to tenants, customers and visitors. Such cities can attract businesses because the benefits of
the urban location outweigh the potential drawback of limited parking and because public transit
offers a viable alternative to auto use (USEPA, 1999).

2.6.5. Demand Reduction

The above discussed concepts such as in-lieu fees, centralized parking and shared
parking not only decrease the parking requirements but also provide ways to
reduce excess parking supply. Demand reduction directly targets on the reduction
of parking demand by replacing parking spaces with bus stops or reserving
parking spaces for carpooling, car sharing, etc. It is also possible to reduce the Photo 4: Demand
need for parking and the associated costs by influencing the demand for parking. Reduction by car pool
It can be achieved by increasing the price of parking or by promoting non-auto transport incentives.
Charging users for parking is a market-based approach, if a fee sufficient to cover construction,
operation and maintenance costs is charged to the users of parking facilities, it will likely cause them
to seek alternative transport modes. Demand reduction programs include: subsidies for transit, cash-
out programs, transit improvements, pedestrian and bicycle amenities and vehicle trip reduction
programs. When employers allow telecommuting or flexible work schedules it reduces commuting,
and thus the demand for parking (USEPA, 1999).
Author: Annum Khaliq 18

2.6.6. Smart Parking

Smart parking a system that informs and navigates the driver about the free space available in the
nearby parking area using smart sensors and smartphone apps, the resident may get a notification on
his smartphone about a free space that is at some distance from his home. Currently, many
municipalities rely on old-fashioned parking standards that result in an abundance of parking at the
cost of community’s character and vitality. Smart parking approaches can address these issues
through a variety of techniques by tailoring standards, managing demand and improving parking
facility design.
Marlborough is a medium-sized city located near the intersection of the Massachusetts Turnpike and
Interstate 495. This strategic location near two of Massachusetts' major transportation routes makes
Marlborough an attractive location for the many electronics and computer firms that currently inhabit
the city. To accommodate its workforce and residential parking needs, Marlborough has enacted three
zoning measures that promote a smart parking approach. The city has taken steps to decrease the
oversupply of parking through provisions for shared parking, compact car spaces and temporary
reserve parking (EEA, 2014). This shows that the concept of smart parking can be used in
combination with the above mentioned concepts to mitigate the issues of underutilization of parking
facilities (more explained by the picture below).

Photo 5: Smart Parking (Source: Fastprk 2012, World sending SL)

2.6.7. Private car parks

Private car parks owners list their parking spaces online via some website. Car owners easily find,
book and pay for parking after reserving on the website or directly claiming the spot through the
smartphone app (e.g. Carambla is an "eBay for city parking" where owners list there parking space for
earning a financial return on excess capacity, benefit from increased security and embrace smart city
mobility for social responsibility reasons. This is already working in Antwerp, Brussels & Ghent).
Author: Annum Khaliq 19

Photo 6: Private Car parks (Source: Carambla parking website)

2.7. Innovation Parking Concepts

A car is usually kept parked somewhere for 22.5 hours because a driver spends about 90 minutes a
day in the car at an average. But finding a parking place in big cities and popular destinations is
becoming a challenge. Planners, developers, architects and engineers are all looking for viable
solutions. A parking facility should meet the functional/operational design requirement, which can
supply safe and efficient passage of vehicles. Parking is sometimes provided in the form of a parking
lot without human, aesthetic or integrative considerations. This has given parking a poor public
perception and has frequently disrupted existing urban fabric (WBDG, 2014).

2.7.1. Automated Parking Systems

An automated parking system is a mechanical system that moves cars from the entry to an available
parking space. It uses multiple levels and stacks cars vertically to use as less land as possible to park
as many cars as possible. It’s entirely automatic and does not require any staff. Automatic parking
systems are very space efficient. The system doesn't need as much space to park as a human does.
There’s no need for ramps, pedestrian areas etc.
From a driver’s perspective they simply park their vehicles in a parking module are guided to the
correct parking position by sensors via a display sign. The drivers switch off their engines and the
parking module door is closed to secure the module. Once the module is secured the vehicle is
removed from the parking module and stored. When drivers return and request their vehicles, their
vehicles are returned to a parking module, usually facing the correct direction, ready to be driven
away. Since there is no requirement for ramps, driveways and personnel access to the parking areas,
automated parking can typically park twice the number of vehicles in the same volume as
conventional parking.

Photo 7: Automated Parking System (Rothary, 2014).

2.7.2. Semi-Automated Parking System

A semi-automated parking system uses a mechanical system to move cars to their parking space, only
it needs a human action to work, either by the driver or an attendant. This action can be as simple as
pushing a button.
Author: Annum Khaliq 20

Advantages of automated parking systems is that it reduced parking search traffic and thus saves time
that would be consumed in searching for parking space. It also reduces the chances of theft or
damage. The automated parking also shows environmental friendliness since engine is turned off. It
also offers advantages for municipalities in terms of space efficiency. Increased visual impact and
public safety. Less litter, fights and accidents because there are no people inside. No need for
installing signs, lighting, pedestrian areas etc. Cars inside are moved automatically, which means no
need for an expensive ventilation system. No need to employ staff (except for occasional
maintenance) (Rothary, 2014).

2.7.3. Working
The customer enters the parking garage and drives the car onto a platform. When the engine is turned
off, the overall size and shape of the vehicle is detected by the sensors used in the system. The system
analyzes where the car can be parked. Usually there is a payment terminal for the customer to pay for
parking. He receives a ticket or key with a customized code. As soon as the customer leaves the
parking garage, the car is moved vertically or horizontally to the available parking spot with the
robotic arms and platforms. When the customer comes back to pick up his car, the system uses the
code from his ticket to know which car to bring back to the platform. The customer can then enter the
vehicle and leave the garage.

Photo 8: Working of automated parking system (Woehr, 2014)

2.7.4. History
Automated parking systems first appeared in Europe, Paris in
1906 and during 1920’s the North America. The need to
introduce automated parking systems was to maximize the
value of available land by condensing parking. The 1950’s the
industry was at its peak in North America with a number of
high profile systems built but demand for the systems fell off
shortly after that time. Although demand in other parts of the
world, notably Japan, Korea and parts of Europe, continued to Photo 9: Pigeon Hole Parking 1953
increase for automated parking systems, since the turn of the (Source: The old motor website)
century there have been around 15 systems installed in North America and the rate of installation is
increasing. These systems are fast, efficient and environmentally sound. The technology has been
refined over the last 100 years-however, the principle has remained the same: parking, simple and
automatic.

2.8. Advantages of Automated Parking over Conventional Parking facilities

All automated parking systems offer several advantages and improvements compared to conventional
parking facilities, these include less space requirement and less construction or building maintenance
Author: Annum Khaliq 21

cost. The automated parking systems provide high quality of aesthetics to the environment by its
design integration and offer high returns on investment by its sustainable design features. Automated
parking systems require up to 50% less volume of the parking structure to handle the same number of
vehicles compared to conventional ramped parking facilities, this feature adds to the competitiveness
of automated parking systems as land prices in large cities are very high.
Cost factors such as ventilation systems, pedestrian elevators, emergency staircases and fire doors are
unnecessary in case of automated parking. So, the construction costs are thus comparable to average
costs of conventional parking buildings. Construction of parking facilities below ground adds to the
competitiveness of automated systems as less construction volume is required to handle the same
amount of cars. The following table from Walker Parking Consultants indicates construction cost
comparisons for a conventional garage versus an automated garage in three different configurations:

Table 1: Construction Cost Comparisons between Conventional Ramp Garages and Automated Garages
(Monahan, 2012)

Therefore, the conventional above grade garage is less costly per floor than the automated garage,
unless the site is very small that results in a very poorly efficient conventional garage. Automated
garage saves floor area at the high unit cost that counterbalances the cost of the automated machinery.
Similarly, the unit cost is even higher for underground garage construction (see details of financial
costs in annex I).
Compared to the conventional parking, computerized parking facilities require more electrical power
still the management and maintenance of these parking facilities is much less labor-intensive. In
addition, due to conveying technology, no polluting vehicle exhaust is emitted in the parking
building. Automated parking systems guarantee highest safety standards for persons and vehicles. The
transfer stations for entering and retrieving vehicles are located in well-lit, safe areas and are
monitored by security cameras. Once the vehicles enter the automated parking system, they are safe
from damage, dents, theft and vandalism. Exposure to vehicle exhaust in waiting lines is also
avoided.
Computer controlled parking garages enable and facilitate the integration of services, such as parking
space reservation systems, traffic control, carwash stations for parked vehicles and many more
innovative customer services and support systems. Ramped parking structures have an unaesthetic and
unfavorable existence in urban surroundings. Automated parking systems are constructed with a
closed facade, thus giving city planners and architects considerable freedom of design regarding the
shape and appearance of the parking facility. The investment in automated parking garages enables
high returns due to the high level of space efficiency and utilization. Automated parking systems
represent profitable investment opportunities for municipal authorities, parking corporations, property
and business owners as well as other investors.
Automated parking systems have a number of sustainability benefits over conventional parking. The
precise benefits vary with system type and project site but the general potential benefits includes
Author: Annum Khaliq 22

reduction in operational energy consumption because no internal lighting is required (except for
maintenance), simple ventilation as only two air changes per hour are required and no requirement for
other energy consuming assets including passenger lifts, amenities and barrier control systems.
Reduced vehicles emissions (CO2, NOx, PM10) as engines are switched off during parking process.
Smaller building footprint reduces the need for excavation and ground works, reducing the amount of
construction waste sent to landfill. High levels of recycled content through the use of steel in
equipment (steel has high levels of recycled content). Nontoxic materials are used in construction (e.g.
volatile organic compounds in paints). Reduced risk of accidents for pedestrians. Preferred parking for
car sharing and low emission vehicles. Electric vehicle charging facilities. Increased personal security
and safety especially at night. Reduced acoustic noise and spaces accessible to all users, e.g. disabled
or parents with children (FATA automation, 2014).

2.9. Case Studies

There are a number of examples from different countries that have replaced conventional parking with
automated parking and hence achieved a number of benefits. These case studies are explained below:

2.9.1. Automated Parking in Manhattan

An automated parking garage of 320 parking spaces was introduced in the City of Hoboken, New
Jersey in January 1999. In a long series of new automated garages to be built across the country, this
project was regarded as the first pilot project (World parking symposium III, 2001). The automated
parking facility (APF) took a long time for its widespread recognition in North America. With the
change it brought in Hoboken, another automated parking garage was installed at “One York” in
Tribeca, downtown Manhattan. This project was completed in October 2008. This 32-unit
condominium building houses called as the “first fully automated parking system in the USA that uses
sophisticated pallet-less technology for vehicle transfer.” Residents of One York can view the
mechanized, software controlled parking process through a viewing window at grade level (National
Parking Association, 2009).

Photo 10: Residential renovation typified by the building at 1500 Hudson Street
(World parking symposium III, 2001)

2.9.2. Automated Parking in Munich

An awarded automated garage for residents constructed in the Donnersbergerstrasse Munich,
Germany. This is a first underground automated garage for residents. Introduced by the municipality
of Munich, the former car-crowded street became an attractive living space with its lost green areas
recovered. Previously, the cars moved around the block searching for place to park, now the residents
have their parking space in front of their door daily reduction of the searching traffic of 284 cars for
parking spaces much lower level of emissions and fuel usage reduced approx. 80%.
Author: Annum Khaliq 23

Photo 11: Comparing before and after situations building automated parking facility (Woehr, 2014)

It only takes 137 sec on average for car retrieval. It has a capacity to carry out 100 car operations per
hour. 24 hour video monitoring is done. In the underground control room, it is possible to have a look
at the parking operations. 4 trained technicians are needed to carry out the operations. This parking
system has been awarded as the best European parking concepts 2007. It has a 100 % degree of
utilization. All 284 places are rented. The concept gained a very good acceptance since the start in
May 2006. Total cost 11. 5 Mio €, service cost 20 € per month and rental cost for residents 71 €
(Woehr, 2014).

Figure 3: Amount of park in and out operations per month (Woehr, 2014)

2.9.3. Automated Parking in Toronto

Canada’s largest city and a major hub for business Toronto, had an estimated population of 2.48
million people (5.5 million in the GTA - Greater Toronto Area) in 2006. It is considered the most
multicultural diverse city in the world.
The city council of Toronto has restricted the number of vehicles that can be parked in a residential
driveway, by passing a new by-law recently. According to the bye-law, the residents are permitted to
park one vehicle in their garage and one on the driveway. Residents with a double garage may park
two vehicles in the garage and two on the driveway. Residents could be issued a fine of up to $5,000,
if any additional vehicles are parked. This causes the problem of limited parking space for residents.
There is limited parking available on city streets, particularly in residential areas. Most of these streets
have very few places to park a vehicle. Most of the urban areas in Toronto, provide limited parking
time frames which sometimes cause drivers to look for parking elsewhere. In some areas, there are
also safety concerns about possible theft or vandalism, particularly in the late evening or overnight.
There are many high-rise apartments and shopping malls in the greater Toronto area but there still
exists a problem with limited parking space. Car parking systems facilitate the problem of limited
parking and also solve other potential problems such as safety, theft and vandalism concerns. Because
Author: Annum Khaliq 24

of the number of advantages offered by car parking systems, they will become much more common
within the next decade (Romax, 2014).

Photo 12: Car parking system in Toronto (Source: Romax parking)

Author: Annum Khaliq 25

CHAPTER NO. 3
RESEARCH APPROACH
This chapter describes the research methodology used to complete the report. The first task was to
select the topic and find out background information to identify the true nature of problem and the
focus of research regarding this problem. The literature studied, focused mainly on characteristics of
residential parking and the ways in which it is done, draw backs of conventional parking techniques,
better ways of parking, innovative concepts of parking and their potential benefits over conventional
parking. Data collection process, analysis and conclusions are also discussed in detail.

Figure 4: Research Approach

3.1. Topic Selection

A list of topics was given by the university and three topics were selected by choice. The motivation
behind selecting this topic was to identify and explore new concepts that can be adopted for parking in
residential area. Working out on this topic can unveil different parking strategies and ways that can be
fitted in the context of residential parking. To learn and explore the parking strategies adopted by
other countries and the benefits they have provided to the users and environment as a whole and
appear to be potential solutions to the issues faced by the residents.

3.2. Problem Identification

The next task after topic selection was to identify the exact problem that needs to be solved using the
new concepts. The problem identification is a necessary part of a scientific research as it paves the
path in which the research is going to be conducted and the things that need to be kept in mind while
selecting the literature and setting up research goals.
The problem that is identified in this research was that parking issues in residential areas are
increasing due to the increase in car ownership rate. These issues generate concerns regarding traffic
safety, environment and aesthetics of residential areas. The residential area is the place where the
vehicles are placed for the longest duration. The conventional concepts of parking are not efficient
enough to meet the future demand so this implies a need of some new concepts that should be
introduced or reflected upon to solve the issues of conventional parking and provide an efficient way
to park cars in neighborhoods.

3.3. Literature Search

The major focus of the research was on residential parking regulations and the way in which it is done
(i.e. on-street and off-street parking and there types). Draw backs of conventional parking (on-street
Author: Annum Khaliq 26

and off-street). Efficient ways to better utilize existing parking, innovative parking systems and their
advantages over conventional parking and case studies of the implemented areas.
The literature regarding the automated parking systems is taken from the developer’s websites while
all the other topics are taken from scientific literature. The literature primarily targets the residential
parking and its management. Conventional parking methods explain the way how parking is done
currently and its draw backs illustrate the parking issues that are faced by the users. Efficient ways of
parking include different strategies that can be adopted to better utilize the existing parking and
provide solutions to existing parking issues.
The other part of the literature diverts attention to some technical solutions such as automated and
semi-automated systems that have been used for better management of parking in residential areas by
most of the developed countries and their implementation benefits over conventional parking.

3.4. Defining Research Approach

A thorough desk research was the major tool to carry out this part of the research. The objectives of
the research were formulated by conducting a thorough desk research and collecting required
information on various non- scientific& scientific journals, website, newsletters, journals, conference
proceedings and reports etc. The most relevant information was selected and reproduced in the
literature review.
The next important task was to identify the research methodology for conducting the research. After
discussion from the Hasselt municipality, study areas was identified and it was decided that an
observation plan would be set up to identify the parking issues in that area and propose relevant
parking solutions deduced from the literature. This can be done at first by preparing the inventory list
of parking issues (collected through observations) and their possible solutions, and then by conducting
structured interviews from the focus
group working in the municipality, that
which concept (solution) according to
them can best fit in the study area.

3.4.1. Identification of Study area

The study area selected is Runkst,
Hasselt. It is located near city center and
has diverse mix of land uses. The
municipality has selected this area
because according to them residential
parking issues are arising in that area.
The boundary of the study area has been
shown in the map. Photo 13: Study area
(Runkst, Hasselt)
3.4.2. Obtaining Maps & Performing Preliminary Survey of Area
After the selection of study area the Land use maps would be obtained in order to find out types of
land uses present in the area and to what extent they are contributing in causing parking issues for the
nearby residents. The land use maps can be obtained from Hasselt municipality.

3.4.3. Setting up Observation Plan

Land use maps were used to set up observation plan for finding out the parking issues prevailing in
the area. Specific observation forms were designed to carry out the observations. These form contain
information such as the name of street, duration of observation and type of problem observed etc. (see
observation form in annex).
Author: Annum Khaliq 27

3.4.4. Preparing Focus Group Questionnaire

A focus group questionnaire was prepared keeping in view the issues observed from observations.
The questionnaire included questions regarding the identified concepts (from literature) such as
applicability, acceptability, strengths, weakness, benefits and consequences of a concept.

3.4.5. Conducting Focus Group

Focus group session was conducted as a part of data collection, it included parking experts working in
Hasselt municipality. A formal presentation about the study was delivered and questionnaires were
distributed among the participants. The views of the participants were obtained about the proposed
concepts and their applicability in the area. And what other concepts can be applied in the context of
study area. A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about
their perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes towards a product, service or concept (see more
detail in chapter 5).

3.4.6. Analysis & Conclusions

The information on the questionnaires was then analyzed and the identified concepts were ranked.
Based on the ranking, parking concept that gains the highest score from focus group was considered
as the best possible new concept that can be applied in the study area.

Figure 5: Data collection process

3.5. Conclusions & Recommendations

The conclusions are deduced from the analysis of focus group and articles studied. The conclusions
are made by explaining the major points of the literature such as conventional parking and its draw
backs and potential benefits and advantages of innovative parking over the conventional parking. The
analyzed focus group questionnaires were used to explain the findings of using focus group as data
collection tool. Recommendations were made keeping in view the findings from observations and
focus group.
Author: Annum Khaliq 28

CHAPTER NO. 4
AREA PROFILE & FOCUS GROUP
This chapter discusses the profile of the study area and the methodology adopted for data collection.
The qualitative data collection method of focus group along with its advantages and limitations are
highlighted in this chapter. In addition to the focus group, observation plan is also discussed in this
chapter.

4.1. Profile of Study Area

The area selected for study is Runkst, Hasselt. It is a district of Hasselt, located in the South-West of
the city center. In 2007, it had a population of 10,726. Runkst is bounded by rail road to the city of
Diest on its North, on its South it has district of Sint-Lambrechts-Herk, on its East it has railway to
Sint-Truiden and on its West it has Stevoort and Kuringen. As described in the history, Runkst was a
rural hamlet of Hasselt, located outside the city. The city experienced rapid expansion and caused
ribbon development along the road to Sint-truiden in the beginning of 20th century. Labor class
residences were usually found at the back of the station. Runkst mainly has a residential character
(Wikipedia, 2015).
The total area to be observed consisted of 1332 km2. The dominant land use in the area is residential.
Other land uses in the area include school, graveyard, banks, café, sports playground, open parks,
bakery etc. The municipality has divided the area into different parking zones. Each zones has
different rules for parking. Hasselt is divided into five zones (see annex IV). According to the rules,
the residents of these parking zones are entitled a free parking permit. Different land use owners have
to obtain the respective parking permit (e.g. temporary parking permit, parking permit for
professionals, etc.). Persons with disabilities are exempt from parking permits and fees. The cost and
duration of parking is also different for different zones. For residents, the cost of parking is 200 Euros
per year and the duration of this permit is two years so it is 400 Euros. After two years the residents
need to renew the permit. Which is done online through the e-portal (www.hasselt.be/parkeren).
In blue zone parking is free for two hours. In Hasselt, there are a number of areas where parking is
free. These are fully accessible for everyone (residents, visitors, students ...). These areas are located
within walking distance or are accessible by bus from center. Name and capacity of free parking are
given below:
 Parking Slachthuiskaai 500 parking spaces
 Hawaii 600 parking spaces
 Alverberg 150 parking spaces
 Parking Exit Hasselt South 200 parking spaces
 Parking Truierbrug North 70 parking spaces
 Parking Truierbrug Southern 150 parking spaces
 CCHA 320 parking spaces
 Rail Viaduct 200 parking spaces
 Colonel Dusartplein 160 parking spaces
Author: Annum Khaliq 29

Figure 6: Map of Hasselt, Green part showing study area, Runkst. (Source: Parking in Hasselt, 2014)

4.2. Data Collection

It was decided to use observation technique and focus group as a tool to collect data, these were
considered the best approaches to collect data with respect to the time limitations and language issues.
Observation is a fundamental way of enquiring new things. Human beings are well equipped with
senses to pick up detailed information about the environment. However, as a method of data
collection for research purposes, observation is more than just looking or listening. Systematic
observation involves careful planning of what is needed to be observed. Secondly, what is seen or
heard has to be recorded in some way to allow the information to be analyzed and interpreted.
The term 'systematic' observation is usually associated with observation undertaken from the
perspective of quantitative research where the purpose is to provide reliable, quantifiable data. This
usually involves the use of some kind of formal, structured observation instrument or schedule. The
observation method being used will clearly identify: the variables to be observed, perhaps by means
of some kind of checklist; who or what will be observed; how the observation is to be conducted;
when and where the observations will take place. In qualitative research, observation can provide rich
qualitative data, also called as 'thick description' (Geertz, 1973), for example, where the relevant
phenomena have been carefully observed and detailed field notes have been recorded. Typically, the
researcher would not approach the observation with pre-determined categories or questions in mind.
Because of this openness, observation in qualitative research is often referred to as unstructured.
Unstructured observation is more likely to be carried out where the focus is on understanding the
meanings, participants, in the contexts observed attribute to events and actions (University of
Strathclyde, 2015).

4.2.1. Observation Plan

An observation plan was set up, special observation forms were designed to investigate the parking
issues prevailing in different streets of Runkst. Survey was conducted using the observation form. The
sample observation sheet is placed in the annex. The observation form also consists of the map of the
Author: Annum Khaliq 30

area. The information to be recorded on the observation form included date and time of observation,
name of street, its distance from city center in meters, number of housing units, street width, type of
housing, type of parking, type of on-street parking and type of off-street parking along with the
number of spaces available, parking issue other land uses in the street and any free space available in
the street. The objective behind setting up the observation plan was to find out the existing situation of
parking (issues, free space and type of parking) in the study area.
Data Collection
CollectionCo
llection
Observation Focus Group
Plan

Observation Form Questionnaire

In order to conduct observations precisely some of the data aid was taken from the municipality, these
include land use map of Runkst, map showing the parking facilities in the area, data or reports
regarding vehicle registration/ownership, parking issues, type of parking facilities available, census
report showing the population, income level of residents and property types/ housing units/ dwelling
types/ demographic data, reports regarding parking management/ policies in Hasselt, research reports
if any parking study has been conducted by the municipality. This was all included in the website
given by the resource person from the Hasselt municipality
(http://aps.vlaanderen.be/lokaal/cijfers_domein.htm).
The area to be observed consists of following streets:

1. Boomkensstraaat
2. Woutersstraat
3. Runkstersteenweg
4. Gaarveldstraat
5. Beukenstraat
6. Acaciastraat
7. Wilgenstraat
8. Spoorwegstraat
9. Vredestraat
10. Helipoststraat
11. Jasmijnstraat
12. Djef Antenstraat
13. Smedenlaan
14. Beokstraat

4.2.2. Focus Group Photo 14: On-street Parking

A focus group is used as a tool for gathering qualitative information from a small number of
participants. It is a powerful instrument for understanding thoughts, perceptions, attitudes, and
behaviors about particular issues or topics. Focus groups are an efficient means to gather “open-
ended,” subjective and in-depth responses from multiple viewpoints in a safe environment. A well-
conducted focus group can provide insights that are difficult to obtain through other data-gathering
techniques. It is a sort of group interview of approximately six to twelve people who share similar
characteristics or common interests. A facilitator guides the group based on a predetermined set of
Author: Annum Khaliq 31

topics. The facilitator creates an environment that encourages participants to share their perceptions
and points of view. The data collected through focus group is descriptive and cannot be measured
numerically (University of Strathclyde, 2015).
Participants generally are allowed to say anything they like in focus groups sessions. Focus groups
therefore are considered to be naturalistic (Krueger & Casey, 2000). The researcher listens not only
for the content of focus group discussions, but for emotions, ironies, contradictions and tensions that
are helpful in gaining insight. Survey research, on the other hand, enables researchers to make
predictions about the occurrence of a phenomenon on a large scale. Focus groups can provide
trustworthy naturalistic data that also lead to important insights about human behavior, but they aren’t
set up to generalize in the same way as survey research (Fern, 2001). More information regarding the
purpose, types, uses, characteristics, features and guidelines of conducting focus group are provided in
the annex II.

4.2.3. Advantages & Disadvantages of a Focus Group

Focus group usually consists of volunteers gathered to discuss a particular product or idea. These
volunteers are asked a series of questions which they answer and freely share their opinions, ideas and
reactions. Focus groups usually provide immediate ideas for the improvement of particular products
or concepts (Writing, 2015). Some of the advantages and limitations of focus group are discussed
below.

Advantages
Focus group is quick and relatively easy to set up then other research techniques. The group dynamic
can provide useful information that individual data collection does not provide. It is useful for gaining
insight into a topic that may be more difficult to gather through other data collection methods.
Information is provided more quickly than if people were interviewed separately. It encourages
interaction between participants. The researcher can interact with the participants and ask questions
that probe more deeply. When participants are stimulated to discuss, the group dynamics can generate
new thinking about a topic which will result in a much more in-depth discussion. As every participant
is under observation by the moderator and everybody knows that the process has been videotaped, it is
easy to make participants fully engage even during non-discussion time. Results can be easier to
understand than complicated statistical data. The researcher can get information from non-verbal
responses, such as facial expressions or body language. In a face to face interview, moderator can
keep the discussion under control and focus on the areas of interest. Free and open discussion among
the respondents results in generation of new ideas which can be very useful for decision making. A
focus group is not static. The moderator can bring changes in order to better facilitate the discussion
during the group discussion. This dynamism allows better results. Fully equipped modern focus group
facilities enables participants to observe the discussion in order to better understand the research
findings and also to quality control the whole process (ICS, 2012).

Disadvantages
A major disadvantage of focus group is that it is susceptible to facilitator bias, which affects the
validity and reliability of findings. The discussion is sometimes sidetracked by a few individuals.
Focus groups generate lots of qualitative information, but no quantitative information from which
generalizations can be made. Information can be difficult to analyze. It is difficult to encourage people
to participate. Participants may feel under pressure to agree with the dominant view. Compared to
individual interviews, focus groups are not as efficient in covering maximum depth on a particular
issue. Compared with surveys and questionnaires, focus groups are much more expensive to execute.
Usually, each participant will have to be compensated in cash or any other benefit. The moderator
plays an essential role in handling the situation, but if the moderator is not experienced enough, it is
Author: Annum Khaliq 32

very easy for the whole discussion to be dominated by a few people. Moderators can greatly influence
the outcome of a focus group discussion. They may, intentionally or unintentionally, introduce their
personal biases into the participants' exchange of ideas. This can result in inaccurate results. The small
sample size of participants in a focus group might not be a good representation of the larger
population. Due to small sample size and heterogeneity of individuals, focus groups findings may not
be adequate to make projections. On the other hand if the number of participants in the group is large,
discussions can be difficult to steer and control, so time can be lost in irrelevant topics. The
moderator's skill in phrasing questions along with the setting can affect responses and skew results
(Temkin, 2007).
A focus group can be a very artificial set up which influence the respondents to express and act
unnaturally. The findings may be far from the reality. However, focus group research is a useful tool
for qualitative research in various fields of study, from marketing to engineering and from finance to
public administration (ICS, 2012).
Author: Annum Khaliq 33

CHAPTER NO. 5
ANALYSIS OF FOCUS GROUP
This chapter discusses the existing conditions of parking in Runkst. This existing condition of parking
was analyzed using observation technique. The observation was conducting using observation form
on which the information such as type of on-street parking and off-street parking, type of housing,
distance of parking facility from city center, capacity of parking available along with the time, date
and street name was recorded. It further elaborates the way how the focus group was conducted in
collaboration of municipality of Hasselt, to identify the best parking concept that can be applied in the
selected study area. The detailed procedure of observations, focus group session and its analysis &
findings are also highlighted in this chapter.

5.1. Existing Condition of Parking in Study Area

The existing condition of parking in the area were quite alarming as identified by setting up
observations. Some of the streets close to the center had almost no space for visitor parking and the
cars of the residents were parking on the pavement thus damaging the pavement condition of the road.
Almost all of the streets have on-street parking for residents. Some of the streets have pavement
markings but most of the streets did not even have parking space marked in front of the houses so the
residents use half of the pavement space thus making obstruction in the flow of traffic on road and for
other mode users as well. Most of the streets lack space for cyclists so they are forced to use the space
on road thus causing hazardous situation for the cyclists. Off-street parking is only available for sports
stadium and other commercial building users. The Table 10 (see annex III) explains the situation in a
detailed manner with the street name. This information was recorded using special observation forms
designed to carry out observation.

5.2. Findings from Observations

The observations were carried on all the major and minor streets in the study area. The observations
were recorded on the observation forms (see annex IV). The information recorded on the observation
contains:

 Date & Time of observation

 Name of street
 Distance from the center
 Number of housing units
 Type of housing
 Type of parking
 Character of street depending on the dominant land use available in the street
 Parking issue observed
 Capacity of off-street parking and on-street parking
 Other land uses in the street
 Number of free space available

The observations were conducted in the morning and afternoon. It was clear from the observations
that the streets with more number of housing units in the form of row housing had more number of
cars parked on street. This shows that parking problems are more obvious in areas with high car
occupancy rates. In case of row housing the parking situation was more adverse. It was also observed
Author: Annum Khaliq 34

that usually people are prone to the habit of keeping their cars in front of their doors they feel more
secure if the car is parked on the pavement in in front of their doors. This shows that any concept
which keeps the car in front of the owner’s house would be accepted more than the concept of
keeping cars away from owners home.
It was also observed that there is a very less significance of the distance of the street from the city
center on the parking condition of the street, but if there are some other land uses such as shops,
restaurants, bakeries etc. available in the street then this condition affects the parking situation in the
areas and parking issues arise. The distance of the street from the center is measured using Map
window software.

Figure 7: Measuring Distance using Map window

During the weekends the parking situations in some streets gets worst due to non-availability of space
for visitors. Although there is provision for visitor parking by the municipality but that seems not to
be efficient. The most prominent parking issue observed was less number of space available for
parking, pavement parking that damages the pavement and illegal parking. The capacity of on-street
parking is very less as compared to the demand. The street width is affected by the on-street parking
that causes obstruction for cyclists and other road users thus causing road user conflicts. Most of the
streets have on-street type of parking and the cars are parked back to back on the pavement. In some
streets there are pavement marking for parking cars on street but most of the streets lack these
markings.
There is no separate space for cyclists along the road which is dangerous for them. Off-street parking
is not much used by the residents and there are almost no free spaces available in the streets that can
be used for parking purposes by the residents. Streets with apartment building do not show any
problem for parking as they have spaces available for cars to be parked in the space allotted by the
apartment building. The parking situation can be analyzed from Photo 15 given below:

Photo 15: Parking situation observed in Runkst

Author: Annum Khaliq 35

5.3. Focus Group Session

The data collection was done using focus group. An interactive focus group session was arranged.
Before conducting the focus group a questionnaire was designed in order to obtain the necessary
information from the viewpoints of desired stakeholders regarding the parking concepts identified
from the literature and ask for the acceptability of the concepts. The stakeholders include the residents
and the municipality. The Agenda and the composition of the focus group was also considered and
planned accordingly.

5.3.1. Focus Group Questionnaire Preparation

The aim of the focus group questionnaire was to get a notion about the acceptability of the identified
new concepts of parking that can be introduced in the residential area of Runkst, Hasselt. It is
considered as a source of data collection to evaluate which of the new concepts best fit in the context
of Hasselt solving the current parking issues of the area and cater for future demand of parking
efficiently. The concepts are defined and relevant questions are given in the questionnaire. The
participants of the focus group just need to tick in the best option and fill in the space given by writing
their views. It was assured that all the information would be kept confidential and used for educational
purpose only. The questionnaire consisted two sections with both open and closed ended questions.
Section I was about the existing conditions and section II was about the acceptability of the concepts
(see for questionnaire annex IV). It had 10 questions with seven identified parking concepts. The last
question was about ranking the concept, the participants need to score the concept out of 7. The best
concept gets 1 and the least score is ranked as 7.

5.3.2. Location & Time

The session was conducted on 24-03-2015 at 09:30 hours in the morning, at AC Dr. Willems, Dokter
Willemsstraat 34, Hasselt. The session was planned for 3 hours. It was decided to carry out the
discussion in English. With the researcher as the moderator and the supervisor as the co-moderator.
The session started with a presentation describing the content of the questionnaire and as a guidance
to fill up the questionnaires. The presentation of the focus group is placed in the annex.

5.3.3. Composition of Focus group

The focus group consisted of 3 people in total. One of them was from the resident committee of
Runkst, Hasselt and the rest were from the municipality. These include parking experts from the
municipality.

5.4. Analysis
There are several methods for analyzing focus groups these include:
 Constant comparison analysis
 Classical content analysis
 Keywords-in-context

The first step in many approaches to analyze the focus group data is to have the entire interview
transcribed. The most common analyses of focus group results involve a transcript of the discussion
and a summary of the conclusions that can be drawn. Transcription not only facilitates further
analysis, but also it establishes a permanent written record of the group discussion that can be shared
with other interested parties.
Constant comparison analysis. This type of analysis has three major stages (Strauss & Corbin,
1998). In the first stage known as open coding, the data is chunked into small units. A code or
descriptor is attached to each of the units by the researcher. During the second stage called as axial
coding, these codes are grouped into categories. Finally, in the third and final stage of selective
Author: Annum Khaliq 36

coding, one or more themes are developed by the researchers that express the content of each of the
groups (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). Focus group data can be analyzed via constant comparison analysis,
especially when there are multiple focus groups within the same study (Anthony et al., 2009).
Classical content analysis. Similar to constant comparison analysis, classical content analysis also
creates small chunks of data and a code is placed with each chunk. However, instead of creating a
theme from the codes, these codes then are placed into similar groupings and counted.
Keywords-in-context. This type of analysis is used to determine how words are used in context with
other words. Keywords-in-context represents an analysis of the culture of the use of the word
(Fielding & Lee, 1998). Keywords-in-context involves a contextualization of words that are
fundamental for the development of themes and theory, by analyzing words that appear before and
after each keyword, leading to an analysis of the culture of the use of the word (Fielding & Lee, 1998)
(Anthony et al., 2009).
In this study a simple matrix (see Table 10 in annex III) is used to indicate the number of participants
falling for an option, since it’s a qualitative research so there is no need to indicate the frequencies in
number. Only text will be used to analyze that which parking concept is ranked best among the given
choices.

5.5. Findings from Focus Group

The findings from the focus groups are explained below:
Parking problems. The first question asked was about the parking problems faced by the residents.
When asked about the problems experienced by the residents in Runkst. One of the participant
indicated that the main problem prevailing in the area regarding parking and the major issue face by
the residents in Runkst is less number of parking spaces. While the other two participants told that
Illegal parking, obstruction in driveways, less number of parking spaces are the problems faced by the
residents. All the participants were agreed that less number of parking spaces is a prominent issue.
The graph below describes the parking problems in Runkst as explained by the participants in the
focus group.

Graph 1: Parking Problems faced by the residents in Runkst

Condition of on-street & off street parking. The next question was about the characteristics of on-
street and off-street parking this question was asked to identify the quality & condition of these two
types of parking and are the residents satisfied by the availability of these parking types or not.

On-Street Parking. All the participants mentioned that on-street parking seems aesthetically
unpleasant, capacity wise insufficient and quality of on-street parking is average. The graph below
describes the characteristics of on-street parking in Runkst as explained by the participants in the
focus group.
Author: Annum Khaliq 37

Graph 2: Characteristics of On-Street Parking in Runkst

Off-Street Parking. Participant one, mentioned that off-street parking seems aesthetically pleasant,
capacity wise sufficient and quality of on-street parking is good. Although these off-street parking
spaces are accessible by automobile (means far for residents) and level of utilization is medium. Other
two Participants, declared that off-street parking seems aesthetically unpleasant, capacity wise in
sufficient and quality of on-street parking is good. These off-street parking spaces are accessible by
automobile, by foot and by bicycle and level of utilization is high.

Graph 3: Characteristics of Off-Street Parking Runkst

The next section contained questions about the concepts. Section II was designed in such a way that
the concepts were defined and the questions related to the concept were asked followed by the
explanation. The concepts to be evaluated includes:
 Centralized Parking
 Shared Parking
 Parking freezes
 Demand Reduction
 Smart Parking
 Automated parking
 Private car parks

Applicability of Centralized Parking in Runkst. When asked if the concept of centralized parking
would be applicable in Runkst. Participant one, mentioned that centralized parking is not applicable in
Runkst, because people prefer to park in front of their houses and also there is no space available to
Author: Annum Khaliq 38

construct centralized parking facility. Other Participants, declared that centralized parking is
applicable in Runkst, because it is financially feasible, partially conforms with the policy and will
increase the livability and safety of the area.
Acceptability by residents. When asked if the concept of centralized parking would be accepted by
the residents in Runkst. According to participant one, only 20-40% of the residents will be willing to
use the centralized parking if introduced in Runkst. While other Participants, mentioned 40-60%
residents will be willing to use centralized parking. This shows that this concept will also be accepted
by the community.
Strengths/ Benefits
 Can create more space on street, which makes the streets aesthetically look better.
 Less search traffic
 More capacity
 Less parking pressure in street & increased spatial organization
Weakness /Consequences
 Theft & vandalism
 Increased distance, less social safety because of door to door mentality
 Illegal parking will increase and more turnover
 Due to increased walking distance people want to park the cars as close as possible

Applicability of Shared Parking in Runkst. When asked if the concept of shared parking would be
applicable in Runkst. All the Participants one agreed because it is financially feasible, conforms with
policy, increases livability and adds a little to increase the safety of the area.
Acceptability by residents. When asked if the concept of shared parking would be accepted by the
residents in Runkst. All the Participants told that the concept will be 40-60% accepted by the
residents.
Strengths/Benefits
 Better level of utilization of parking spaces.
 More space on-street better living
 Rent of private parking means financial benefits
Weakness /Consequences
 Not a good solution for off-street parking.
 Not all the citizens will have more space if they want to park at 10pm
 Agreement has to be set among the parking providers.
 More use of organization’s resources time and money. People need to collaborate for public
private partnership that cannot be made obligatory
 Livability of the Neighborhood will be affected
 Vandalism

Applicability of Parking Freezes in Runkst. When asked if this concept would be applicable in
Runkst. Participant one agreed that the concept is applicable but it is not financially feasible neither it
conforms with policy but it can increase livability and safety of the area. Participant two also agreed
on the applicability of the concept because it is financially feasible, conforms with policy and can
increase livability and safety of the area. Third Participant denied, for its applicability because of
limited connection with public transport.
Acceptability by residents. When asked if this concept would be accepted by the residents in Runkst.
Participant one & three, mentioned that the concept will be 20-40% accepted by the residents.
Participant two, mentioned that the concept will be accepted by 80-100% people. This shows that the
concept would be less acceptable by the community.
Author: Annum Khaliq 39

Strengths/ Benefits
 Aesthetically better less car on streets.
 More supply of parking, more comfort, less search traffic
 Due to increased walking distance people want to park the cars as close as possible
 More capacity, less parking pressure
Weakness /Consequences
 Intervention of police theft & vandalism
 Illegal parking will increase and more turnover.
 It will change policy for visitor parking & employees using the blue zone disc more than the
allowed time.
 Politically not feasible, intervention of police

Applicability of Demand reduction in Runkst. When asked if this concept would be applicable in
Runkst. All Participants agreed for the applicability of the concept because it is financially feasible
and can increase livability and safety of the area to a great extent but it does not conform with the
policy.
Acceptability by residents. When asked if this concept would be accepted by the residents in Runkst.
Two participants said that, the concept will be 20-40% accepted by the residents. According to third
participant, less than 20%.
Strengths/ Benefits
 Aesthetically better more space on streets
 Increased parking space
 Fits best if applied in city center
Weakness/Consequences
 Not good for short trips.
 Usually need more time to wait for buses and other public transports.
 Not a time efficient solution.
 High cost of building & maintenance
 Not applicable in residential area
 It needs renaming the streets and good enforcement that needs money

Applicability of Smart Parking in Runkst. When asked if this concept would be applicable in
Runkst. All the participants were strongly agree for the applicability of the concept, because it
conforms with the policy and can increase livability and safety of the area to a great extent but it is not
financially feasible.
Acceptability by residents. When asked if this concept would be accepted by the residents in Runkst.
Participant one, the concept will be 40-60% accepted by the residents. Second participant mentioned
80-100%, third participant mentioned less than 60-80%. This shows that the acceptability
Strengths/ Benefits
 Parking search behavior
 Less traffic more diversion of parking
 High comfort.
 Less search traffic
Weakness /Consequences
 Difficult to be understood by elderly people
 Technically complex to be implemented
 High infrastructure charges
Author: Annum Khaliq 40

 Residents don’t have to look for space.

 More costs involved.
 Does not suit on residential roads but for city center only.
 Difficult to provide alternatives.
 If use apps that it needs to be assume that everybody has a smartphone

Applicability of Automated Parking in Runkst. When asked if this concept would be applicable in
Runkst. Participant one, strongly agreed that the concept is applicable because it conforms with the
policy and can increase livability and safety of the area to a great extent but it is not financially
feasible. Other participants did not agree about the acceptability of the concept due to its increased
walking distance and does not integrate with spatial planning and other regulations.
Acceptability by residents. When asked if this concept would be accepted by the residents in Runkst.
Participant one, mentioned that the concept will be 20-40% accepted by the residents. Participant two
told, 40-60%. Participant three, less than 20%. This shows that this concept would be less acceptable
by the community.
Strength/ Benefits
 Less space usage quick storage of vehicles
 No theft vandalism
 Aesthetically better
 More space on street
 Compact solution
Weakness /Consequences
 If residents need to walk far way they won’t prefer it.
 Residents cannot park in front of their doors.
 Require technical assistance

Applicability of Private car parks in Runkst. When asked if this concept would be applicable in
Runkst. All the three participants agreed about the applicability of private car parks in the study area,
because it is financially feasible, conform with the policy and can increase livability and safety of the
area.
Acceptability by residents. When asked if this concept would be accepted by the residents in Runkst.
Participant one indicated that, the concept will be 40-60% accepted by the residents. Participant two
said, 100-80% while third participant mentioned it would only be accepted by 20-40%. This shows
that there is more possibility of this concept to be accepted by the community.
Strengths/Benefits
 Aesthetically better more space on streets
 Effective & cheap solution
 More parking comfort
 Better use of space
 More capacity
Weakness/ Consequences
 Elderly cannot use it
 Difficult to find the tariffs
 Better use of parking
 Dependent on who is providing space
 Less applicable in city center
Author: Annum Khaliq 41

Ranking of Concepts. The concepts are given a score on a scale of 7-1. 1 as the highest and 7 the
least score. As shown in the table participant one ranked private car parks as the best concept.
Participant two and three ranked centralized parking and shared parking

Sr. Concept Participant 1 Participant Participant

No. 2 3
A. Centralized parking 7 1 2
B. Shared Parking 4 3 1
C. Parking Freezes 5 4 5
D. Demand reduction 2 7 5
E. Smart parking 3 5 2
F. Automated Parking 6 6 7
G. Private car Parks 1 2 4
Table 2: Ranking of Concepts

Graph 4: Ranking of Concepts

Reason for being the best possible concept. According to participant one, smart parking has a high
cost so private car parks is the best possible solution however, a mix of concepts can be used, such as
demand reduction with private car parks can solve a lot of parking problems present in Runkst and
other parts of Hasselt. According to Participant two, centralized parking is the most appropriate
solution. Because the municipality can implement it independently as it is relatively cheap and does
not need involvement of political parties and can be integrated within the spatial structure of the city.
While third participant indicated that shared parking, can prove to be the best solution for Runkst, as it
can be integrated with the current policy, more efficient space usage and provides more alternatives
for the residents to select space closer to their homes. The detailed analysis is given in the form of
matrix placed in annex III (see Table 4).This shows that a mix of these three concepts or one of them
can be applied to solve the parking issues in the area
Author: Annum Khaliq 42

CHAPTER NO. 6
CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter discusses the conclusions and recommendations that have been deduced from a detailed
study of literature. It is concluded that the car ownership rate is growing with the population so the
places to reside those vehicles also need to be increased. It is a challenge for the local authorities to
provide spaces and manage the demand for parking efficiently without damaging the environment and
aesthetics of urban fabric. The issues with residential parking are not just limited to demand and
supply of parking but also related to proper utilization of the existing parking facilities. The existing
facilities can only be utilized by making efficient parking policies and their enforcement. Parking
regulations such as fines or penalties for noncompliance of parking rules can help solving problems
such as illegal parking, obstructive driveways or leaving abandoned vehicles on road. On-street
parking, is always preferred by the residents and authorities because it is close and cheap but on the
other hand it is aesthetically unpleasant to see lot of cars parking on the road. Off-street parking
facilities are efficient but these raise concerns such as underutilization because very less residents are
willing to pay for them. The efficiency and effectiveness of these conventional parking methods can
be enhanced greatly by using parking concepts such as shared parking, centralized parking, in-lieu
fees and smart parking. These concepts are helpful not only for the residents but also for the
authorities because no or very less additional cost is incurred. Moreover, automated driving systems
are technically very advanced and can be used as the most efficient car parking concepts. Although
these are expensive but have very successfully solved all the issues regarding parking. The features of
automated systems such as less fuel usage, sustainable designs, and reduced space, lighting, heating
and ventilation requirements have grasped the eyes of investors. The increased acceptance of such
system is creating innovation in performing parking management efficiently. From the observations
and analysis of focus group it is clear that the major issue in the area is related to less available
parking spaces and illegal parking. The condition of on-street parking is not of good quality and also
in-sufficient for the residents, while off-street parking is somehow in better condition. Concepts such
as centralized parking, shared parking and private car parks are applicable and acceptable by the
community as these are financially feasible, conforms with the policy and if implemented can add a
lot to the livability and safety of the area. It is concluded that a mix of these concepts if implemented
in the area can reduce the issues of parking to a great extent. The study also revealed that focus group
(compared to other survey, data collection techniques) can be used as an effective tool to gain insights
regarding the introduction of a particular idea or technique that how much this idea would be accepted
or rejected by the community.

6.1. Conclusions
Parking in residential areas is managed using on-street and off-street parking methods, these methods
are becoming inefficient to cater for the future demand of parking. Large number of parking problems
have been associated to these conventional parking methods with respect to residential areas. These
parking problems have many perspectives such as demand, supply and utilization. Environmental,
social (illegal parking, obstructive parking, parking of abondanded vehciles on road, vandalism etc.)
and aesthetics are just some other dimensions of residential parking problems that are usually
neglected and not taken into account.
Residential parking is managed by the local authorities or city councils. These authorities are
responsible for enforcement and regulation of parking bye-laws. There are certain factors that should
Author: Annum Khaliq 43

be kept in mind while devising solutions to parking problems associated to residential areas, these
include the resident’s choice and willingness to pay for parking. This solely depend on the income
level of the community. Proposing a parking concept in an area completely depends on the
characteristics of that area and its inhabitants either they need that particular concept and will accept it
or not. The characteristics of the community where the parking concept is going to be proposed need
to be studied. Some other aspects that should be considered while proposing a parking solution in a
residential area includes car ownership rate, parking supply and price, affordability, accessibility,
property characteristics (apartments or semi-detached), neighborhood household characteristics and
development patterns, average monthly parking cost to tenant, average rent, density, household
income, household size, bedroom count, presence of children, age, distance to nearest transit stop, job
density, proximity to schools, walk score, block size, and block density.
The parking solutions may not always be of physical nature that is in terms of infrastructural reforms
but these can also be in terms of promoting other modes of trasit and providing incentives for non-
auto modes of transport that discourage car ownership. The use of existing parking facilities or spaces
can also be optimized by provding subsidized parking schemes and reducing overall parking costs. If
in any residential area the issue is related to less parking space the authority should create more
parking space. The authority can also solve parking issues using the innovative ways of parking
utilization (e.g., in-lieu parking fees to cover costs of city garages, shared parking arrangements when
users park at different times of the day, shuttle buses from centralized parking facilities). Smart
Parking is also used nowadays as a tool to propler utilize the existing parking facilities. Automate
parking systems can also be a solution in densely populated areas. The case studies have indicated that
although these systems gained acceptance after a long time and are highly expensive to be proposed
as a solution to residential parking problems but are highly effiecient in space requirements, design,
sustainablilty and security as compared to the conventional parking concepts.
The literature defines parking problems and their solutions in the perspectives given below:

 Inadequate information for motorists on parking availability and price. The solution could be
to improve use information.
 Inadequate user options. The solution could be to improve parking options, such as letting
residents choose between convenient, priced parking and less convenient, free/inexpensive
parking.
 Inconvenient parking pricing methods, such as mechanical meters that require users to predict
how long they will be parked and only accept certain coins. The solution could be to improve
pricing systems.
 Inefficient use of existing parking capacity. The solution could be to use parking
management strategies that result in more efficient use of parking facilities.
 Excessive automobile use. The solution could be to reduce automobile dependency and
encourage transportation alternatives.
 Concerns over spillover parking congestion in nearby areas if parking supply is inadequate or
priced. The solution could be to provide parking management and enforcement in impacted
areas.
 Economic, environmental and aesthetic impacts of parking facilities. The solution could be to
reduce parking supply and improve parking facility design.

Keeping in view the findings from the observations, it is concluded that less parking space and illegal
parking are major problems prevailing in study area (Runkst). The capacity of on-street parking is
very less as compared to the demand. Parking problems are more obvious in streets with high car
occupancy rates. In case of row housing the parking situation was more adverse. People are prone to
Author: Annum Khaliq 44

the habit of keeping their cars in front of their doors they feel more secure if the car is parked on the
pavement in front of their doors so the off-street parking is not much used by the residents.
Obstruction in driveways for other road users was also observed with creates safety issues especially
for pedestrians and cyclists. Visitor parking is not efficiently managed by the municipality. The
presence of other land uses such as shops, restaurants, bakeries etc. in the street affects the parking
situation in the areas and gives rise to parking issues.
The findings from the focus group show that financial feasibility and integration with the parking
policy are two important aspects that should be fulfilled for the applicability of the concept. Concepts
such as centralized parking, shared parking and private car parks are applicable and acceptable by the
community as these are financially feasible, conforms with the policy and if implemented can add a
lot to the livability and safety of the area. Also the municipality can implement these independently,
does not need involvement of political parties and can be integrated within the spatial structure of the
city. It is concluded that a mix of these concepts if implemented in the area can reduce the issues of
parking to a great extent.

6.2. Recommendations
Residential parking problems have various perspectives and dimensions, which can be solved by
implementing combination of parking management strategies or innovative parking systems
depending on the level of acceptance, affordability and ease of usage by the community.
It is recommended that combination of parking strategies should be explored such as combining
residential parking permits and time limits. Residential parking permits coupled with 2 or 4-hour time
limits can protect neighborhoods from long-term commuter parking spillover. The policy of double
use of parking can also be adopted. The municipality should pursue the use of public lots for smart
parking. This new technology uses real-time information for making people aware of availability of
parking space. A successful parking strategy requires extensive on-going coordination and planning
for increased parking demand. The authorities should survey the parking situation annually to identify
problems and seek solutions. Certain strategies should be introduced that can result in a reduced
demand for parking, such as transit incentive programs, car sharing, shuttles and shared parking that
prove to be beneficial in the context of residential areas.
The residents and municipality are the key stakeholders for parking concerns in a community. So, it is
recommended that the municipality should make parking policies with the aim to discourage car use
and optimize existing parking space instead of creating more space for parking. Residents are the key
players for the well-being of a community. To mitigate the issues related to parking, residents need to
understand the importance of parking policies and concepts. These parking concepts are introduced to
meet the future parking needs of the area and for the overall betterment of the community. If the
residents need the environment near their homes to be safe and aesthetically pleasant, they need to
change their habit of keeping car in front of their door and abide by the changing need of parking
management. Moreover, all the concepts mentioned in the study are valuable, but their application
varies depending on the situation and conditions of the parking issues of the area for which they are
proposed. The research also paves the way for future research related to the current topic such as
carrying out the assessment of financial feasibility of the identified innovative concepts using cost
benefit analysis. This piece of research serves the basis for evaluating which concept would be
financially acceptable by the municipality.
Author: Annum Khaliq 45

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Annex I: Parking Problems and Financial Costs for Parking Facilities

Perspective Problem Definition Potential Solutions

Supply- Inadequate supply, excessive Governments, businesses and residents should increase parking
oriented price. supply. Increase minimum parking standards.
Information Inadequate user information. Create signs, brochures and other information resources indicating
Oriented parking availability and price.
Choice- Inadequate consumer options. Increase the range of parking convenience and price levels
Oriented available to consumers.
Pricing Pricing is inconvenient. Develop more convenient payment and time options.
Convenience
Efficiency- Inefficient use of existing Share parking facilities. Implement transport and parking demand
oriented parking capacity. management. Price parking. Provide shuttle services to parking
facilities.
Demand- Improve access and transport choice. Transport and parking
oriented Excessive automobile use. demand management programs.
Spillover Inadequate parking causes Use management strategies to respond to spillover problems.
Impacts problems in other locations. Improve enforcement of parking regulations.
External Parking facilities impose Reduce parking minimums. Price parking. Improve parking facility
Impacts external costs. design. Implement TDM programs.
Table 3: Different perspectives for viewing parking problems (Litman, 2006)

Building Type Unit Spaces

Single Family Housing Dwelling Unit 2.0
Multi-Family Housing Dwelling Unit 1.8
Apartments Dwelling Unit 1.5
Neighborhood Commercial 100 sq. m. GLA 4.7
Community Commercial 100 sq. m. GLA 5.3
Regional Commercial 100 sq. m. GLA 5.8
Office Building 100 sq. m. GFA 3.2
Fast-Food Restaurant Seats 0.85
Church Seats 0.5
Hospital Beds 2.6
Light Industry 100 sq. m. GFA 2.2

GLA = Gross Leasable Area GFA = Gross Floor Area

Table 4: Typical Off-Street Parking Requirements (ITE, 1999)
Author: Annum Khaliq 51

Small Site Medium Site Large Site

(30,000 sf) (60,000 sf) (90,000 sf)
Area Per Space 350 sf 325 sf 315 sf
Surface Parking $1,838 $1,706 $1,654
Ground + 1 level $7,258 $6,143 $5,705
Ground + 2 level $8,085 $6,767 $6,284
Ground + 3 level $8,407 $6,996 $6,491
Ground + 4 level $8,747 $7,269 $6,747
Ground + 5level $8,973 $7,451 $6,918
Ground + 6 level $9,135 $7,581 $7,040
Ground + 7 level $9,256 $7,678 $7,132
Ground + 8 level $9,351 $7,754 $7,203
Table 5: Typical Parking Construction Costs (PT, May 2000, p. 28)

Type of Facility Land Land Construction O&M Total Daily

Costs Costs Costs Costs Cost Cost
Per Acre Per Per Space Annual, Annual, Per
Space Per Per Space
Space Space
Suburban, On-Street $50,000 $200 $2,000 $200 $408 $1.36
Suburban, Surface, Free $0 $0 $2,000 $200 $389 $1.62
Land
Suburban, Surface $50,000 $455 $2,000 $200 $432 $1.80
Suburban, 2-Level $50,000 $227 $10,000 $300 $1,265 $5.27
Structure
Urban, On-Street $250,000 $1,000 $3,000 $200 $578 $1.93
Urban, Surface $250,000 $2,083 $3,000 $300 $780 $3.25
Urban, 3-Level Structure $250,000 $694 $12,000 $400 $1,598 $6.66
Urban, Underground $250,000 $0 $20,000 $400 $2,288 $9.53
CBD, On-Street $2,000,000 $8,000 $3,000 $300 $1,338 $4.46
CBD, Surface $2,000,000 $15,385 $3,000 $300 $2,035 $6.78
CBD, 4-Level Structure $2,000,000 $3,846 $15,000 $400 $2,179 $7.26
CBD, Underground $2,000,000 $0 $25,000 $500 $2,645 $8.82
Table 6: Typical Parking Facility Financial Costs

This Table 7 illustrates the financial costs of providing parking facilities under various conditions. (CBD =
Central Business District)

Spaces Per Annual Cost Paid User- External Total

Vehicle Per Space Directly By Paid Costs Costs
Users Costs
Residential 1 $600 100% $600 0 $600
Off-street 2 $800 5% $80 $1,520 $1,600
On-street 2 $400 5% $40 $760 $800
Totals 5 $720 $2280 $3,000
(24%) (76%) (100%)
Table 7: Typical Parking Facility Financial Costs (Litman, 2006)

This Table 8 shows an estimate of total parking costs per vehicle and their distribution. It indicates that users
only pay directly for about a quarter of total parking costs. The rest are borne indirectly through taxes, reduced
wages, and additional costs for goods and services.
Author: Annum Khaliq 52

Annex II: Additional Information on Focus Group

Purpose of Focus Group
The purpose of the focus group is to collect data related to inquiry question in a setting that allows for
interaction and encourages deep thinking about important issues. The group environment compels
participants to think about other people’s responses in relation to their own, and encourages them to
formulate and express their own impressions. In listening and responding to others, participants can
correct misinformation and provide alternative perspectives. However, a focus group is not a problem
solving session or a way to reach consensus on a decision. There are other group processes to use for
those purposes. A focus group is an appropriate means for obtaining a diversity of perspectives,
opinions, and experiences. Focus groups are useful for gathering subjective perspectives from key
stakeholders.
Mixed methods approaches are used to increase validity of evaluation findings by using a variety of
data collection techniques. Because focus groups are one of the few methods in which data is gathered
from a group, it is useful as part of a mixed method approach (Grudens et al., 2004).
Focus Group
Characteristics of Focus Group
Focus group has some specific characteristics. Without these
Moderator
characteristics it is not possible to conduct the focus group.
These include Participants Environment
 Moderator
Analysis & Reporting
 Environment
 Participants
 Analysis & Reporting Figure 8: Focus group characteristics
Moderator. Moderator is a person who conducts the session, a good moderator should be highly
skillful with respect to group discussion. The moderator should use predetermined questions and it’s
the responsibility of moderator to establish permissive environment.
Environment. The environment of the place where the focus group is going to be conducted should
be comfortable and it is preferred that the participants should be seated in circular arrangement and if
possible the session should be recorded.
Participants. The participants for conducting the focus group should be selected very carefully,
because their opinions will reflect other people’s responses in relation to their own. There should be
about 5-10 people, 6-8 are preferred. The group should contain people from similar category or work
field.
Analysis & Reporting. Appropriate analysis technique should be selected for analyzing focus group
so that the results clearly describe the mutual response of the focus group. Systematic analysis and
special verifiable procedures should be used for analyzing focus group and appropriate reporting
procedure should be adopted.

Features of focus groups

In qualitative research, focus groups have some differences from other survey methodologies.
 Insight not Rules Focus group allows all participants to say anything they would like in front
of the whole group, this can provide trustworthy naturalistic data that also lead to important
insights about human behaviors. Meanwhile, researchers listen not only for the content of
discussions but observe something beyond talking, such as tone and emotions which help
them to learn or confirm not just the facts but the meaning behind the facts.
 Social not Individual In a focus group session, conversation among participants results in
discussion data. In this way, focus groups produce information that paints a portrait of
combined local perspectives because the research may seek ways to fit all together.
Author: Annum Khaliq 53

 Homogenous not Diverse Focus group researchers select and invite 20-25 people with
similar characteristics to a single session. The goal is to fill the room with a minimum of 10-
12 participants that are similar which is supposed to increase the quality of the data (Krueger
and Casey, 2000).
 Flexible not standardized During the course of a two-hour session, a natural conversation
will be produced because individuals are allowed to laugh, tell personal stories, revisit earlier
questions, disagree with other research, the moderator only needs to lead the conversation on
track by applying his prepared interview guide. Actually, a well-designed guide encourages
group members to relax, open up, think deeply and consider alternatives.
 Words not Numbers Focus groups rely upon words spoken by participants. A report based
on focus groups will feature patterns formed by words, called themes or perspectives.
Numerical analysis is not a preferred technique. In fact, it is inappropriate to report a result of
focus groups by percentage (Brown, 2014).

Uses of focus group

Focus groups may be used:
 To explore new research areas (sensitive topics, topic that is difficult to observe (not easy to
gain access) & does not lend itself to observational techniques (e.g. attitudes and decision-
making)
 To collect a concentrated set of observations in a short time span
 To ascertain perspectives and experiences from people on a topic, particularly when these are
people who might otherwise be marginalized
 In combination with other methods, focus groups might be used to:
o gather preliminary data
o aid in the development of surveys and interview guides
o clarify research findings from another method

Methods of conducting Focus group

There are different ways of conducting focus group, some of them are given below:
 Focus groups can be conducted in person or via teleconference. It is ideal to conduct a
focus group in person, it is possible to conduct a focus group by phone. Web conferencing is
an additional technology that can be used for focus groups. When conducting focus groups by
phone or web conference, the facilitator has to work to ensure that everyone participates in
the discussion.
 Playing a game. The moderator contacts the potential participants and arranges the room for
conducting the session. At the start of the session the moderator explains the objective of the
focus group. The moderator uses power point presentation projector to elaborate the
questions. The participants a given the cards where they write there desired answer and reason
why they selected that choice. The cards are then placed on the board and pictures are taken.
 Conducting focus group using questionnaire. Before the session the moderator makes a list
of potential participants and contacts them. A separate room to conduct the session should be
arranged where the focus group session is to be conducted. The moderator describes the
objective of the focus group, records the designation of the participants & explains the
questionnaires. The group of people are provided with the questionnaires to be filled in by the
respondents. The data collected is then analyzed using SPSS and the best parking concept is
identified.
Author: Annum Khaliq 54

Types of Focus groups

Depending upon the research questions. The focus group varies in its types. Different types of focus
groups can be used for exploring new research topics e.g.
 Two-way focus group one focus group watches another focus group and discusses the
observed interactions and conclusion.
 Dual moderator focus group one moderator ensures the session progresses smoothly, while
another ensures that all the topics are covered
 Dueling moderator focus group (fencing- moderator) two moderators deliberately take
opposite sides on the issue under discussion
 Respondent moderator focus group one and only one of the respondents is asked to act as
the moderator temporarily
 Client participant focus groups one or more client representatives participate in the
discussion, either covertly or overtly
 Mini focus groups groups are composed of four or five members rather than 6 to 12
 Teleconference focus groups telephone network is used
 Online focus groups computers connected via the internet are used

Guidelines for Conducting Focus Groups

Focus group is a good method to get people involved in the decision making process and to get their
input regarding the topic. The purpose of this section is to provide a general overview of the focus
group process based upon the experience of the focus groups conducted during this study.
 Preparation
 Selection of participants
 Session logistics
 Moderating the session
 Analysis of Information

Preparing for the Focus Group Discussion

When preparing for the focus group discussions there are several considerations including what
questions will be asked, who will participate, where will the discussions be held, and who will
conduct the sessions. The first step is to develop a discussion guide.
 Developing the Discussion Guide. The discussion guide contains the questions which will be
asked to participants during the discussion sessions. Approximately 10 to 15 questions should
be used for the discussion. It is avoided to spend too much time on background information
and concentrate on the important issues necessary to cover. There are two elements which
should be considered when drafting the guide. First, it is necessary to identify who you want
to obtain information from and second, what type of information is needed (Beimborn, 2015).
 Reserve a Time and Place. Reserving a time and place to conduct the discussion should be
done well in advance to the actual date of the discussion sessions. Finding a location quickly
will give time to contact potential participants with the necessary information regarding the
time and location of the sessions. Another option for conducting the focus group is to hold the
sessions at a focus group discussion facility. Marketing firms often have special facilities in
which they conduct focus group discussions. Using these facilities will add to the cost of the
project. When selecting a location, try to find the most convenient and accessible location as
possible.
 Provide an Incentive for Participation. Individuals taking part in a discussion session
should be compensated for their participation. When contacting potential participants use an
incentive to encourage or persuade an individual to take part in a discussion session. Various
Author: Annum Khaliq 55

forms of compensation can be used with the most common being a cash payment, lunch or
dinner. Snacks and beverages may also be provided at the discussion.
 Determine the Equipment needed. The researcher must determine how detailed information
is needed to be obtained from the discussion. This will determine whether to audio tape,
videotape, or simply take notes. The advantage of videotaping is that it allows the research
team to easily make note of the important quotes and comments made during the discussion.
This will allow the person reviewing the tape to quickly locate these comments and record the
exact information. If the sessions will be videotaped, it is necessary to reserve the equipment
well in advance of the sessions. Equipment which is needed includes:
o A video recorder.
o A microphone which should be placed at the discussion table.
o A videotape per session (Note: One videotape will hold approximately two hours of
time).
It is recommended to videotape the sessions. If notes are taken by the research team during the
session, this will also facilitate the development of a report for the focus group.

Selection of Focus Group Discussion Participants

When developing the discussion guide it is necessary to identify who will participate in the discussion
sessions. This will provide an indication of the number of participants who will formulate the
discussion group. A good size for a discussion group is between 8 to 10 participants. However, the
discussion can still take place if fewer than 8 participants show up. It is difficult to assure all
participants will show up for the discussion as some individuals may forget, run into a scheduling
conflict, or just decide not to take part. For this reason, it is recommended approximately 12
participants to be selected to take part in the discussion session. After making a list of potential
participants, the individuals should be contacted by telephone with information regarding the
discussion session. When making initial contact with the potential participant, provide the date, time
and location of the session. Be sure to mention the incentive for taking part in the discussion as this
could influence some individuals to take part.
A follow-up letter should be mailed to individuals who agreed to take part approximately a week to
ten days prior to the discussion session. The follow-up letter should briefly describe the purpose of the
focus group and include information which clearly identifies the date, time and place of the
discussion. Finally, participants should be asked to contact the research team if they are unable to
attend so that it an alternate participant can be contacted in time (Beimborn, 2015).

Preparation for the Discussion Sessions (Session logistics)

The discussion room should be setup and ready for the discussion when participants arrive.
Participants should be seated around a table with the moderators back to the video recorder. The video
recorder should be positioned to provide the widest angle possible and a microphone should be placed
on the table. One of the challenges in recording focus group data is knowing who is speaking at any
particular time, since often multiple people speak in overlap that’s why it is necessary to consider
audio-or video-recording focus group sessions. Video will be helpful for identifying who is
speaking. Recordings also provide the ability to replay sessions during analysis.
There should be at least 2-3 researchers (in addition to the moderator) to attend the focus group and
take notes. The focus of each researcher's note-taking efforts might be different (e.g. non-verbal
behavior, group dynamics, emergent themes). Note taking is important to capture non-verbal data.
Even if one is video-recording a group, some non-verbal behavior will be lost that might be recorded
by a note-taker. If the sessions will be videotaped it is necessary to arrive well in advance to the start
of the discussion to setup the equipment. Other items which need to be considered include name tags,
Author: Annum Khaliq 56

consent forms and payment to participants. Name tags will allow the moderator to address questions
to specific individuals during the discussion (Beimborn, 2015).

Moderating the sessions

It is recommended that an experienced focus group moderator conducts the sessions. Moderating the
discussion is a difficult process and someone with experience has the ability to draw information out
of the participants. The moderator should try to keep the discussion as informal as possible and should
encourage all participants to speak whatever is in their mind. The moderator is in charge of the
discussion and it is his/her duty to draw information out from the participants.
The discussion session should last approximately 1 and 1/2 hours. One of the benefits of having an
outside person moderate the discussion is that the person can be neutral. Some people may not like the
topic being discussed and should be allowed to voice their opinion (Beimborn, 2015).

Analysis of the Results

In the analysis stage, survey research requires transformation of numbers with statistics (at minimum,
it requires the calculation of percentages). The end result is a report featuring graphs and tables. Focus
groups, on the other hand, rely upon words spoken by participants. The focus on language earns focus
group methodology the label, qualitative (Creswell, 1998). A report based on focus groups will
feature patterns formed by words, called themes or perspectives. Numerical analysis is not a preferred
technique. In fact, it is inappropriate to report the results of focus groups by percentage (e.g., among
the five focus groups, an average of 56 percent of participants mentioned their frustration with the
procedures for applying for public assistance). A report of results from focus groups should not
present major findings via frequencies or statistics because ‘counting’ leads readers to believe that
percentages or frequencies are true for a much wider population (which they are not) (Beimborn,
2015).
Quantitative survey researchers go to great lengths to design a study so that numerical data generalize
to a wider population with mathematical precision. Focus groups method isn’t meant to create
generalizations (Fern, 2001). Qualitative approaches, such as participatory action research, share
control even more vigorously. In participatory research, the entire topic can change based on the
interests of participants (Greenwood and Levin, 1998). This would not occur with focus group
technique. Personal interviews also share some control. The amount, sequence and phrasing of talk, as
well as specific topics, are managed as much by the interviewee as by the researcher (Creswell, 1998).
Author: Annum Khaliq
Annex III: Analysis tables
Focus Group Questions
1. Parking Problem
1 (a). On-street parking
1 (b). Off-street parking
2 (a). Applicability
2 (b). Acceptability
2 (c). Strength/Weakness
2 (d). Benefits/Consequences
3 (a). Applicability
3 (b). Acceptability
3 (c). Strength/Weakness
3 (d). Benefits/Consequences
57
Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3
Less space for parking Illegal, Less space for Illegal, Less space for
parking, obstruction parking
in driveways
Aesthetically pleasant, Aesthetically pleasant, quality wise average and
quality wise average and capacity insufficient
capacity wise sufficient
Aesthetically pleasant, Aesthetically unpleasant, capacity wise in
capacity wise sufficient and sufficient and quality of on-street parking is good
quality of on-street parking
is good.
Centralized Parking
Not applicable Applicable because it is financially feasible,
partially conforms with the policy, increase the
livability & safety.
20-40% 40-60%
Can create more space on More supply of Less parking pressure in
street, which makes the parking, more street & increased spatial
streets aesthetically look comfort, less search organization
better. traffic Increased distance, less
People prefer to park cars in Due to increased social safety because of
front of their houses due to walking distance door to door mentality
the issues of theft and
people want to park
vandalism.
the cars as close as
possible
more space on-street better More space on street. More capacity , less
living It will change policy parking pressure
Theft & vandalism for visitor parking & Illegal parking will
employees using the increase and more
blue zone disc more turnover.
than the allowed time.
Shared Parking
yes, because it is financially yes and strongly agreed that this concept is
feasible, conforms with financially feasible, conforms with policy,
policy, increases livability increases livability and adds a little to increase the
and adds a little to increase safety of the area
the safety of the area
20-40%
Better level of utilization of Efficient use of space Less parking pressure,
parking spaces. More use of better use of capacity
Not a good solution for off- organization’s Agreement has to be set.
street parking resources time and
money. People need
to collaborate for
public private
partnership that
cannot be made
obligatory
More space on-street better Rent of private Occupancy rate and
living parking means turnover will increase.
Not all the citizens will have financial benefits Livability of the NH will
more space if they want to Vandalism be affected.
park at 10pm
Author: Annum Khaliq
4 (a). Applicability
4 (b). Acceptability
4 (c). Strength/Weakness
4 (d). Benefits/Consequences
5 (a). Applicability
5 (b). Acceptability
5 (c). Strength/Weakness
5 (d). Benefits/Consequences
6 (a). Applicability
6 (b). Acceptability
6 (c). Strength/Weakness
6 (d). Benefits/Consequences
7 (a). Applicability
58
Parking Freezes
Yes, but it is not Yes, because it is No, limited connection
financially feasible financially feasible, with public transport
neither it conforms with conforms with
policy but it can increase policy and can
livability and safety of increase livability
the area. and safety of the
area.
20-40% >20% 20-40%
Aesthetically better less car More space It can be fully integrated
on streets. No space for visitors to make people
Politically not feasible, enthusiastic.
intervention of police Difficult to integrate
politically sensitive
Aesthetically better Comfortable Increased liability, less
Intervention of police heft & No alternatives for pollution ecofriendly
vandalism visitor parking Less attractive,
Demand Reduction
Yes, because it is financially No
feasible and can increase
livability and safety of the
area to a great extent but it
does not conform with the
policy.
20-40% >20%
Aesthetically better more Increased parking Fits best if applied in city
space on streets. space centre. Not applicable in
Not good for short trips. High cost of building residential area
& maintenance
Aesthetically better It needs renaming the No
Usually need more time to streets and good
wait for buses and other enforcement that
public transports. Not a time needs money
efficient solution.
Smart Parking
Yes, because it conforms with the policy and can increase livability and safety of
the area to a great extent but it is not financially feasible.
40-60% 100-80% 60-80%
Parking search behavior, High comfort Less search traffic. Does
less traffic more diversion of Technically complex not suit on residential
parking. to be implemented roads but for city centre
Difficult to be understood by only. Difficult to provide
elderly people, more costs alternatives. If use apps
involved. that it needs to be assume
that everybody has a
smart fone
Less search traffic Difficult High infrastructure Residents don’t have to
to be understood by elderly charges look for space .Only one
people. NH is not sufficient, not
a consistent solution
Automated Parking
yes, because it conforms No, increased walking distance and does not
with the policy and can integrate with spatial planning and other
increase livability and safety regulations
Author: Annum Khaliq
7 (b). Acceptability
7 (c). Strength/Weakness
7 (d). Benefits/Consequences
8 (a). Applicability
8 (b). Acceptability
8 (c). Strength/Weakness
8 (d). Benefits/Consequences
9 (a). Centralized Parking
9 (b). Shared Parking
9 (c). Parking Freezes
9 (d). Demand Reduction
9 (e). Smart Parking
9 (f). Automated Parking
9 (g). Private car Parks
10. Reasons
59
of the area to a great extent
but it is not financially
feasible.
20-40% 40-60% > 20%
Less space quick storage of More space on-street. No
vehicles, no theft vandalism. Require technical
if residents need to walk far assistance
way they won’t prefer it.
Aesthetically better, more More space available, No
space on street. compact solution.
Residents cannot park in
front of their doors.
Private car Parks
yes, because it is financially feasible, conform with the policy and can increase
livability and safety of the area
40-60% 100-80% 20-40%
Aesthetically better more Effective & cheap Better use of space
space on streets. solution More capacity
Difficult to find the
tariffs
Save space on streets. More parking comfort Better use of parking
Elderly cannot use it. Dependent on who is
providing space less
applicable in centre
Ranking
7 1 2
4 3 1
5 4 5
2 7 5
3 5 2
6 6 7
1 2 4
Private car parks is the best Centralized parking, Shared parking, it can be
possible solution however, a City can implement it integrated with the
mix of concepts such as independently. current policy, more
demand reduction with Relatively cheap, no efficient space usage,
private car parks can be need to change more alternatives for the
used individual streets. residents to select space
closer to their homes.
Table 8: Analysis of Matrix
Author: Annum Khaliq 60

S Street Street Characteristics

r. names
N
o.

Road Distan Number of Type of Type of On-street Off- Parking Other Free
type ce housing Housing Parking Parking street issue land space
from units type + Parkin uses availabl
Centre capacity g e
(m) type+
capacit
y

1. Abele R 900 34 Row On- Back to No Parking Baker Open

nstraa houses street Back road on y, space
t marking pavement, coffee provided
no place shop, for cars
10-15 cars for to be
cyclists so Bank, parked
hindrance, barber in angled
no space , spar parking
for visitor
parking

2. Boom R 720 301 Row On- Road Some No space Dalto No

kensst housing street marked for houses for visitor n,
raaat on-street have parking clinic,
parking own Hasan
place ia
15-20 cars for cars Barbe
within r, for
house stars

3. Woute R 540 48 Apartme On- Back to No Illegal clinic No

rsstraa nt+ street Back road Parking
t marking
Row
housing 10-15 cars

4. Runks R 530 243 Apartme On- Back to Parking Parking Aldi, No

terste nt street Back lot on Gam
enweg Pavement pavement ma,
+ parking Parking
for JBC,
Row 10-15 cars ALdi Krefel
housing Butch
er,
clinic

5. Gaarv R 860 132 Apartme On- Back to Parking Parking cemet No

eldstra nt street Back lot on ery
at Pavement pavement
+ parking

Row 10-15 cars

housing

6. Beuke R 820 57 Apartme On- Back to No Parking No No

nstraat nt street Back on
Pavement pavement
+ parking
Row 10-15 cars
housing

7. Spoor R 450 147 Apartme On- Back to No Parking No No

wegst nt street Back on
Author: Annum Khaliq 61

raat + Pavement pavement

parking
Row
housing 10-15 cars

8. Vrede R 1026 120 Apartme On- Back to No Parking No No

straat nt street Back on
Pavement pavement
+ parking

Row 10-15 cars

housing

9. Helipo R 1163 48 Row On- Back to No Parking No No

ststraa houses street Back on
t parking on pavement
special
paved
surface

10. Beoks R 1180 130 Apartme On- Back to No Parking Footb No

traat nt street Back on all
Pavement pavement
+ parking

Row
houses

11. Acacia R 1243 125 Apartme On- Back to No Illegal No No

straat nt street Back parking
Pavement
+ parking
Row
houses

12. Djef R 1343 86 Apartme On- Back to No Parking No No

Anten nt street Back on
straat Pavement pavement
+ parking

Row
houses

13. Fontei R 449 83 Apartme On- Back to Parking Parking Dalto No

nstraa nt street Back lot on n,
t Pavement pavement clinic,
+ parking Barbe
r
Row
houses

1 Schoo R 613 39 Apartme On- Back to Parking Parking Baker No

4. lstraat nt street Back lot on y,
Pavement pavement schoo
+ parking l

Row
houses

Table 9: Observation Table

Author: Annum Khaliq 62

Annex IV: Observation form, Maps, Focus group Questionnaire & Presentation

New Concepts of Parking in Residential areas

(Observation Form)
Objective
To find out the existing situation of parking (issues, free space, type of parking) in the study area.

Date ____________________ Time _____________________

 Name of Street
___________________________________________________________________

 Distance from center

Less than 50m 100m 200m 300m 400m more than 400m
 Number of housing units (within the street)
Less than 10 10 20 30 more than 30
 Type of housing

Detached Semi Detached Row Housing Apartment

 Character of street
Residential Commercial Mix use

 Type of Parking
On-street Off-street
If on-street then
Parallel Back to back Angled
Number of spaces available ____________________
If off-street then
Garage Parking Lot
Number of spaces available ____________________
 Parking issue
Illegal parking Obstruction in driveways Fight among residents Vandalism
Less number of parking spaces available
 Other land use in street
Shop Restaurant Office Education Sport Other
Author: Annum Khaliq 63

 Number of free spaces available that can be used for parking in the street___________________

Types Problems identified

of
parking

On- • Vandalism
street • Aesthetically unpleasant
parking • Obstruction in driveways hindrance in the
flow of emergency vehicles
• Illegal parking
• Decreases roadway capacity
• Impedes traffic flow and increases crash
potential
• Affects livability
Off- • Under Utilized
street • Residents Not Willing To Pay
parking • More Space Requirement
• Less Personal Safety
• Dead Zones
• Limits Pedestrian Access
• Car Storage Seems Ugly and Undesirable
Streetscape Feature
• Encourages Car Use
Author: Annum Khaliq 64

New Concepts of Parking in Residential areas

(Focus Group Questionnaire)
Objective
The aim of this focus group questionnaire is to get a notion about the acceptability of the identified
new concepts of parking that can be introduced in the residential area of Runkst, Hasselt. It is
considered as a source of data collection to evaluate which of the new concepts best fit in the context
of Hasselt solving the current parking issues of the area and cater for future demand of parking
efficiently. The concepts are defined and relevant questions are given. You just need to tick in the best
option and fill in the space given by writing your views. All the information would be kept
confidential and used for educational purpose only.
(SECTION I)
Date ____________________ Time ______________________
Name_____________________________________________________________________________
Designation
_________________________________________________________________________________

Q1. What problems are experienced by the residents in Runkst regarding parking?
Illegal parking
Obstruction in driveways
Less number of parking spaces available
Vandalism
Any other, please specify ________________________________________________________
Q1. (a). On-Street Parking
A. Quality Good Average Poor
B. Capacity Sufficient Insufficient
C. Aesthetically Pleasant Unpleasant

Q1. (b). Off-Street Parking

 Quality Good Average Poor

 Capacity Sufficient Insufficient
 Aesthetically Pleasant Unpleasant
 Accessibility By foot Bicycle Automobile
 Level of Utilization High Low
Author: Annum Khaliq 65

(SECTION II)

A. Centralized Parking are parking facilities, located in the center of the neighborhood designated to
be used by the residents of the community rather than parking on street. Centralized parking, as an
alternative to on-site parking, also improves urban design and preserves the historic nature of
communities. In large neighborhoods shuttle services are used to and from the centralized parking
facilities to facilitate the users.

Q2. Do you think that ‘centralized parking’ is applicable in Runkst?

Yes No, Why _____________________________________________________________
Q2. (a). If yes then do you think it is/will?

 Financially feasible Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Conforms with current policy feasible

Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase the livability
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase safety
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree

Q.2. (b). How much do you think the residents be willing to accept this concept
100-80 % 80-60% 60-40% 40-20% less than 20%
Q2. (c).What Strengths/weakness do you think the concept has?
Strenghts__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Weaknesses________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Q2. (d).What benefits/ consequences this concept can bring if introduced in the current situation (in
your opinion)?
Benefits___________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Consequences______________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

D. Shared Parking means same parking space to be used by different types of land uses depending
on the peak hour’s e.g. same space to be used by an office from 9-5pm and later in the evening to
Author: Annum Khaliq 66

be used by residents. By encouraging shared parking, planners can decrease the total number of
spaces required for mixed-use developments or single use developments in mixed-use areas.

Q3. Do you think that ‘shared parking’ is applicable in Runkst?

Yes No, Why ____________________________________________________________
Q3. (a). If yes then do you think it is/will?

 Financially feasible Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Conforms with current policy feasible

Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase the livability
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase safety
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree

Q3. (b).How much do you think the residents be willing to accept this concept
100-80 % 80-60% 60-40% 40-20% less than 20%
Q3. (c).What Strengths/weakness do you think the concept has?
Strenghts_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Weaknesses_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Q3. (d).What benefits/ consequences this concept can bring if introduced in the current situation (in
your opinion)?
Benefits________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Consequences___________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

E. Parking Freezes after certain time limit some areas in the neighborhood are not allowed to be
used for the purpose of parking specially the residential streets (e.g. parking is not allowed in the
residential streets close to city center after 5pm). Parking freezes need to be implemented in
conjunction with viable public transportation options. The amount of parking required can be
Author: Annum Khaliq 67

directly reduced through parking freezes that cap the total number of parking spaces in a
particular district.

Q4. Do you think that the concept of ‘parking freezes’ is applicable in Runkst?
Yes No, Why ____________________________________________________________
Q4. (a). If yes then do you think it is?

 Financially feasible Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Conforms with current policy feasible

Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase the livability
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase safety
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree

Q4. (b). How much do you think the residents be willing to accept this concept
100-80 % 80-60% 60-40% 40-20% less than 20%
Q4. (c). What Strengths/weakness do you think the concept has?
Strenghts_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Weaknesses_____________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Q4. (d).What benefits/ consequences this concept can bring if introduced in the current situation (in
your opinion)?
Benefits________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Consequences___________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

F. Demand reduction directly targets on the reduction of parking demand by replacing parking
spaces with bus stops or reserving parking spaces for carpooling, car sharing, etc. Demand
reduction can also be achieved by increasing the price of parking or by introducing non-auto
transport incentives.
Author: Annum Khaliq 68

Q5. Do you think that the concept of ‘demand reduction’ is applicable in Runkst?
Yes No, Why_____________________________________________________________
Q5. (a). If yes then do you think it is/will?

 Financially feasible Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Conforms with current policy feasible

Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase the livability
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase safety
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree

Q5. (b). How much do you think the residents be willing to accept this concept.
100-80 % 80-60% 60-40% 40-20% less than 20%
Q5. (c). What Strengths/weakness do you think the concept has?
Strenghts_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Weaknesses_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Q5. (d).What benefits/ consequences this concept can bring if introduced in the current situation (in
your opinion)?
Benefits________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Consequences___________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

G. Smart Parking a system that informs and navigates the driver about the free space available in
the nearby parking area using smart sensors and smartphone apps, the resident may get a
notification on his smartphone about a free space that is at some distance from his home (more
explained by the picture below).
Q6. Do you think that smart parking is applicable in Runkst?
Yes No, Why _________________________________________________________
Author: Annum Khaliq 69

Q6. (a). If yes then do you think it is/will?

 Financially feasible Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Conforms with current policy feasible

Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase the livability
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase safety
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree

Q6. (b). How much do you think the residents be willing to accept this concept
100-80 % 80-60% 60-40% 40-20% less than 20%
Q6. (c). What Strengths/weakness do you think the concept has?
Strenghts_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Weaknesses_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Q6. (d).What benefits/ consequences this concept can bring if introduced in the current situation (in
your opinion)?
Benefits________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Consequences___________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

F. Automated Parking a type of fully controlled robotic car storage uses various mechanical
operations to take the car to the vacant space inside it, easy retrieval and requires less space as
compared to conventional garages (might be expensive for both residents and municipality).
Q7. Do you think that automated parking is applicable in Runkst?
Yes No, Why_____________________________________________________________
Q7. (a).If yes then do you think it is?

 Financially feasible Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
Author: Annum Khaliq 70

 Conforms with current policy feasible

Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase the livability
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase safety
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree

Q7. (b).How much do you think the residents be willing to accept this concept.
100-80 % 80-60% 60-40% 40-20% less than 20%
Q7. (c). What Strengths/weakness do you think the concept has?
Strenghts_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Weaknesses_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Q7. (d).What benefits/ consequences this concept can bring if introduced in the current situation (in
your opinion)?
Benefits________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Consequences___________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

G. Private car parks owners list their parking spaces online via some website. Car owners easily
find, book and pay for parking after reserving on the website, or directly claiming the spot
through the smartphone app (e.g. Carambla is an "eBay for city parking" where owners list there
parking space for earning a financial return on excess capacity, benefit from increased security
and embrace smart city mobility for social responsibility reasons. This is already working in
Antwerp, Brussels & Ghent).
Q8. Do you think that Private car parks is applicable in Runkst?
Yes No, Why_____________________________________________________________
Q8. (a).If yes then do you think it is?

 Financially feasible Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
Author: Annum Khaliq 71

 Conforms with current policy feasible

Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree

Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase the livability
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree
 Increase safety
Strongly Agree Agree Partially Agree
Strongly Disagree Disagree Partially Disagree

Q8. (b). How much do you think the residents be willing to accept this concept
100-80 % 80-60% 60-40% 40-20% less than 20%
Q8. (c). What Strengths/weakness do you think the concept has?
Strenghts_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Weaknesses_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Q8. (d).What benefits/ consequences this concept can bring if introduced in the current situation (in
your opinion)?
Benefits________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Consequences___________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Q9. Rank the above mentioned concepts on a scale of 1-5. Give the highest score (i.e. 1) to the
concept which best fits in Runkst and other accordingly.

A. Centralized Parking 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

B. Shared Parking 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

C. Parking Freezes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

D. Demand Reduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

E. Smart Parking
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Author: Annum Khaliq 72

F. Automated Parking 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

G. Private car parks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Q10. Why do you think this is the best option to be used in Runkst? Reason.
__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

(Thank you)
Author: Annum Khaliq 73

Figure 9: Division of Hasselt for parking study by municipality (Source: Municipality Hasselt)
Author: Annum Khaliq 74
Author: Annum Khaliq 75
Author: Annum Khaliq 76

Figure 10: Focus group presentation

Author: Annum Khaliq 77

Photo 16: Parking Zones Hasselt (Source: Municipality Hasselt)

Author: Annum Khaliq 78

Photo 17: Structure Plan Hasselt (Source: Municipality Hasselt)

 Auteursrechtelijke overeenkomst

Ik/wij verlenen het wereldwijde auteursrecht voor de ingediende eindverhandeling:

New concepts for parking in residential areas

Richting: Master of Transportation Sciences-Mobility Management

Jaar: 2015

in alle mogelijke mediaformaten, - bestaande en in de toekomst te ontwikkelen - , aan de

Universiteit Hasselt.

Niet tegenstaand deze toekenning van het auteursrecht aan de Universiteit Hasselt
behoud ik als auteur het recht om de eindverhandeling, - in zijn geheel of gedeeltelijk -,
vrij te reproduceren, (her)publiceren of distribueren zonder de toelating te moeten
verkrijgen van de Universiteit Hasselt.

Ik bevestig dat de eindverhandeling mijn origineel werk is, en dat ik het recht heb om de
rechten te verlenen die in deze overeenkomst worden beschreven. Ik verklaar tevens dat
de eindverhandeling, naar mijn weten, het auteursrecht van anderen niet overtreedt.

Ik verklaar tevens dat ik voor het materiaal in de eindverhandeling dat beschermd wordt
door het auteursrecht, de nodige toelatingen heb verkregen zodat ik deze ook aan de
Universiteit Hasselt kan overdragen en dat dit duidelijk in de tekst en inhoud van de
eindverhandeling werd genotificeerd.

Universiteit Hasselt zal mij als auteur(s) van de eindverhandeling identificeren en zal geen
wijzigingen aanbrengen aan de eindverhandeling, uitgezonderd deze toegelaten door deze
overeenkomst.

Voor akkoord,

Khaliq, Annum

Datum: 8/06/2015